There are two types of intellectual property (IP) law sources:
- Primary sources: official IP law
- These include statutes, regulations, administrative decisions, procedural manuals, treaties and other international agreements, and court opinions and other court documents
- Secondary sources: provide research guidance
Secondary sources often are a good place to begin IP law research. Treatises and hornbooks provide overviews of legal topics and analysis. Government websites (both domestic and international) offer legal information, give practical advice, and provide portals to IP databases. News feeds and blogs provide information on current and breaking IP law developments. Law review articles and other periodicals (including scientific and business-oriented journals) discuss current topics and issues in more depth.
This guide provides introductory sources, subject-specific resources, and various source types. If you are not familiar with IP law, please read the materials in the Introduction to IP Law tab to get an overview.
