Search engines are very
effective tools for conducting online research. However, due to language
ambiguities and the manner in which search engines seek out information
on the Internet, significant information may be missed.
Some areas of online knowledge have been carefully catalogued by means
of conscious human effort rather than indiscriminately compiled by web
crawlers based on the number of links to related sites or popularity of
hits. Such ‘directories’ often include authoritative collections
of information, and can save valuable time when performing legal research
and identifying foreign language resources.
LEARNING SYNOPSIS
This exercise illustrates
the use of directories in lieu of search engines to find specific and
general legal information in English.
EXERCISE
One of your firm's leading clients is involved in
the forestry and paper pulp business, primarily in the Nordic countries.
Due to expensive labour and timber, and very stringent environmental controls
in the Nordic countries, your client is seeking to expand outside of the
region and is considering a number of options. One country under consideration
for development is Belarus. The economic climate and availability of cheaper
labour, together with the presence of substantial agricultural areas,
make it worth further scrutiny.
Your client is interested in acquiring large tracts of land from which
to harvest timber and to construct and operate paper mills operated by
local labour. Before your client embarks on a more extensive (and costly)
analysis of its options, the partner responsible has asked you to conduct
preliminary research on the following:
1) Is it possible for a foreigner to acquire and privately hold land
in Belarus?
2) Is there any general legislation regarding environmentally hazardous
industries?
3) Is there any specific legislation regarding the paper pulp industry?
Further to the above questions, the partner has asked you to prepare
a list of
directories of foreign law that you find during your research, which can
be emailed
to your colleagues.
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