Research Guides: Legal Research Resources: Introduction

About this Guide

This guide is intended as a starting point for delegates and UN staff doing legal research.

It provides access to the resources available through the Dag Hammarskjöld Library, including:

Library services
research guides
subscription electronic resources
websites related to international law

See the Library's research guide on UN Documentation: International Law for a more detailed guide to the key legal documentation of the United Nations.

Frequently Consulted Texts

Books remain an excellent source of information for international law research, especially for:

annotations
travaux préparatoires
treaty commentaries
- UN Charter
- other conventions and treaties

The most consulted books in our legal library reference collection (non-circulating) are listed below. Some titles are also available as ebooks at UN Headquarters.

The Charter of the United Nations : A Commentary / Edited by Bruno Simma; Daniel-Erasmus Khan; Georg Nolte; Andreas Paulus (eds)
Date: 2013
Authoritative, article-by-article account of the legislative history, interpretation, and practical application of each and every Charter provision.
Commentary on the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties / Mark Eugen Villiger
The 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, regulating treaties between States, lies at the heart of international law. This commentary interprets the Convention's 85 articles clearly and precisely. It also provides up-to-date information on ratifications and reservations. Available as an e-book.
La Charte des Nations Unies : commentaire article par article / Jean-Pierre Cot et Alain Pellet
Date: 2005
Commentary in French; gives an article-by-article account of the legislative history.
The Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law / Rüdiger Wolfrum (Editor)
ISBN: 9780199291687
Date: 2012
Written by over 800 of the worlds leading authorities and edited at the premier research institution for international law, this new edition of the definitive reference work on international law contains over 1,619 articles covering the full breadth of the subject. Available in print and as an e-book.
Oppenheim's International Law United Nations / Rosalyn Higgins; Philippa Webb; Dapo Akande; Sandesh Sivakumaran; James Sloan; L. Oppenheim
ISBN: 9780198808329
Date: 2017
An authoritative and comprehensive study of the United Nations' legal practice, this volume covers the formal structures of the UN as it has expanded over the years, and all that this complex organization does.
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court : a commentary / Otto Triffterer (ed)
Date: 2016
An article by article analysis of the Rome Statute, establishing the International Criminal Court.
The Statute of the International Court of Justice : a commentary / Andreas Zimmermann, Karin Oellers-Frahm, Christian Tomuschat, Christian J. Tams
Date: 2019
This first ever comprehensive Commentary on the Statute of the International Court of Justice analyzes in detail not only the Statute of the Court itself but also the related provisions of the United Nations Charter as well as the relevant provisions of the Court's Rules of Procedure. Now available in a 2nd edition
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties / Oliver Dörr; Kirsten Schmalenbach (eds)
Date: 2018
Provides for an in-depth article-by-article analysis of all provisions of the Vienna Convention.
The Vienna Conventions on the Law of Treaties / Olivier Corten; Pierre Klein
Date: 2011
Also available in French; Provides article by article commentary on the Vienna Conventions on the Law of Treaties.

Legal Research Resources

About this Guide

Frequently Consulted Texts

About

Find

Services for...

Research the UN

Help

Using the Library

OPENING HOURS