The 11 Best Law Library Websites

In the 1991 remake of The Addams Family (a movie to die for), an Uncle Fester imposter has taken control of the family home. Gomez tells his clan not to worry, that the courts will make them whole. “They say a man who represents himself has a fool for a client,” says Gomez. Then he raises a defiant finger: “Well, with God as my witness, I am that fool!”

This decision put Gomez among the ranks of self-represented, or pro se (Latin for “for oneself”), litigants. These litigants are one of the main categories of people who use law libraries. Others include solo attorneys, academic researchers, and government officials.

Generally, there are three types of law libraries: academic, public, and private. Some are open to anyone at any time; others restrict access at certain times to certain individuals. Almost all of them, however, have websites.

Here are some of the best law library websites.

1. Law Library of Congress

Serving as the United States’ “custodian of legal and legislative collections from all countries and legal systems of the world,” and with over six million holdings, the Law Library of Congress is the largest law library on Earth. Its website offers numerous research guides, webinars, and more. Make sure to check out its Guide to Law Online, one of the best places to start for any legal research project.

2. Legal Information Institute

A project of Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute (LII) is one of the premier websites for legal research beginners. More than a collection of links, it offers quite a bit of explanation/analysis as well. One of the best segments is Wex, a community-built, freely available legal dictionary and encyclopedia. LII also stays current through its Supreme Court Bulletin and its connections to the Congressional Research Service, the nonpartisan policy arm of Congress. There are also some excellent research guides, such as this one pertaining to Roe v. Wade.

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3. Georgetown Law Library

The Georgetown Law Library site lists dozens of research guides on various topics, including one for each of the fifty states. There are also guides in niche areas like accounting research and company research, both of which often intersect with the practice of law. (See my article Nonlegal Research for Law Librarians.) Especially useful are the tutorials that teach legal research techniques.

4. Gallagher Law Library

Gallagher Law Library offers nearly one hundred guides on legal subjects on its site. Unlike Georgetown’s, you can arrange this list topically rather than alphabetically. Many are on newer areas of concern — social justice organizations, genetics, beginning-of-life issues, COVID-19 — and there are several on careers, an old concern dressed in new hardships. The best guide on the site? Judicial Humor. Read it now. You’ll thank me later.

5. Harvard Law Library

The world’s largest academic law library, Harvard Law School Library, offers a lot on its website, from top-notch research guides to fabulous digital collections. One research guide not found on most law library sites is this one on free US data sources, such as Data.gov, which makes available over 350,000 individual data sets. Want to take a tour of the Harvard Law Library in under ten minutes? Here you go!

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6. Jenkins Law Library

Public law libraries have been around a while. The oldest in the US is the Law Library Company of the City of Philadelphia, now the Jenkins Law Library, which was founded in 1802. Originally a members-only library (dues were $2 per year!), it is now open to the public at a cost of $5 per day. The website has some great resources, including a series of how-to guides for common legal scenarios.

7. Social Law Library

Established one year after the Jenkins Law Library, the Social Law Library in Boston is another member-driven organization that offers some public services. Anyone can use the library on a free one-day pass, and there are some excellent research guides on the website.

8. California County Public Law Libraries

Some states have publicly funded law libraries, and some do not. Of those that do, California is the most committed, funding its law libraries through a portion of civil court filing fees. All the California County Public Law Libraries are free to use. This page links to the individual website of each county law library. There are also free online classes in family law, civil procedure, wills and estates, and more.

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9. Allegheny County Law Library

The Allegheny County Law Library site is one of the sharpest public law library sites you’ll ever see. Moreover, it offers great content, from research guides to judicial forms to free ebooks to instructional videos. Though the library is free to visit, there are paid membership tracks that unlock expanded services, including—crucially—off-site access to Westlaw, LexisNexis, and other databases. (Note: If you are a pro se litigant in the Pennsylvania court system, membership is free.)

10. King County Law Library

Washington state’s King County, home to Seattle, is the nation’s twelfth most populous. The King County Law Library, therefore, is a busy place. Good thing it has an excellent website, replete with forms, research guides, and more. Solo attorneys, take note: KCLL will do research for you! Read more about this service here.

11. Bodleian Law Library

I have, on occasion, needed to research British law to answer a patron’s question. It makes sense—America came from Great Britain, and our legal system was heavily influenced by it. On such occasions, a good place to turn to is the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Law Library, which was built in 1320 and is the UK’s largest law library. Library staff is available by email or live chat, or you can browse the nonpareil collection of research guides.

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