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Intellectual Property Law Research Guide

This guide focuses on U.S. intellectual property law.  Resources have been selected that cover the federal laws of copyright, patents, and trademarks. Also included are materials on trade secrets, which are largely protected under state law. Materials included in this guide are located in the Boston University Libraries, available via online databases, or on the Internet.

Bear in mind that most legal research should begin with a review of secondary sources such as treatises, encyclopedias, and law review articles. Secondary sources help you frame your questions before you begin researching "the law" and often provide references to primary sources, rules, or forms.

There are many specialized electronic sources for intellectual property law research. These sources can help you stay current with developments, simplify searching, or provide interdisciplinary information. In addition, IP law has been covered by many excellent Internet sources and blogs.

For an excellent general guide on electronic resources for international intellectual property law, see Jonathan Franklin's International Intellectual Property Law.

A note about electronic sources on these pages: Sources marked "Internet" are freely available on the web. Due to license restrictions, the law library can only provide access to LexisNexis and Westlaw to current law school students, faculty, and staff. For information on access restrictions to products marked "online", see our Alphabetical List of Electronic Resources.

Guide maintained by Raquel Ortiz