topics for legal research

190 Unique Law Research Topics for Students to Consider

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If you are a law student, then obviously as a part of your studies you must write an excellent academic paper on any top law research topics. Right now, do you want to write a brilliant law research paper? Are you searching for the best law research topic ideas? If yes, then continue reading this blog post and get interesting law topics for your academic writing.

Law Research Paper Writing

A law research paper is a type of research paper that focuses on any legal topic in the world. The legal topics are nothing but the topic that deals with the legal issues that are resolved in the court.

In general, every country will have its own legal regulations and policies. More commonly, the basic rights and humanity will be the same for all the countries in the world, but specifically, you need to consider the cultural and historical peculiarities of a country while writing a law research paper.

Remember, the law is a sensitive subject and hence, when writing legal research papers, utmost care should be given. You shouldn’t add too much philosophy to it. Your research paper should answer your law essay topics properly with pure black-and-white facts.

You may think that writing a law research paper is easy. But actually, it is not. For writing an intense legal research paper, you must have a unique legal research topic. Particularly, when writing law papers, you should first research and find the legal questions relevant to your topic, analyze the various legal precedents, and present the answer to your legal question in the form of a memo by properly citing all the sources you have used for references.

Law Research Paper Topic Selection Tips

If you want to write a law research paper, then a good law research topic is what you need. Basically, the law is a complex subject, and hence choosing the right research topic from them is challenging. While selecting the legal research topic, be sure to keep the following tips in mind.

Your topic should not be too broad.
It should be informative to your audience.
The topic should be catchy and relevant to modern law.
It should contain relevant supporting materials online or in local libraries.
The topic should deal with relevant legal precedents.
It should answer all the legal essay questions.
Your topic should have real-life cases to illustrate your points.

List of the Best Law Research Paper Topics

Law is a popular discipline among humanitarian sciences that have a wide range of research areas. Some common law research areas include business law, commercial law, environmental law, international law, medical law, constitutional law, cyber law, family law and so on.

As law is a broad subject with endless research topics, it might be difficult for you to choose the most interesting idea from them. So, to make things easier, we have sorted different categories of law and listed some outstanding law research topics for you.

Have a look at the below-mentioned list of law research paper topic ideas and identify aprofound legal research topic of your choice.

Business Law Research Topics

What’s the true nature of business law?
Equity and the doctrines of business law
Morality and its relation to business law
Business laws and the parliament
The formulation of business regulations in Islam
Why are business regulations essential for institutions and organizations?
Business laws in Africa
How crucial is the constitution for the creation of business law?
Business law as a profession
The classification of the business regulations
Describe the Law of Contracts in the United States
Discuss the fundamentals of UK contract law for businesses
Critical evaluation of the role of the judiciary bodies in corporate law
Disclose an insight into contract laws with respect to the application of verbal and non-verbal agreements
Importance of collective bargaining agreements and laws on labor relations
How to deal with corruption in business law?
Discuss the difference between the EU and the UK after the implementation of the Brexit Contract Law
Discuss the protections provided to the minority shareholders in the corporate law regime of India
Compare and contrast the legal aspects of corporate M&A (mergers and acquisitions) in the United States and Australia
Analysis of the role of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition in regulating the anti-competitive practices in the market
Compare and contrast the legal aspects of e-commerce in the US and the UK
Critical analysis of the role played by the Arbitration and conciliation act in resolving business disputes
Compare and contrast the company law act in Australia and Canada
Discuss how anti-money laundering laws of a country impact businesses
Describe the implications of digital payment systems

Commercial Law Research Paper Topics

What are the dangers and potential results of commercial partnerships?
A comprehensive analysis of pre-incorporation contracts: How do they work?
Reviewing the use of international commercial law in energy projects across the globe.
Assessing the mediating role of corporate social responsibility in companies’ performance.
Evaluating the commercial laws that should be used against dishonest managers.
Reviewing the US commercial laws: What should be changed or added?
Evaluating the regulations aimed at stopping corruption: A case study of the UK.
Reviewing the implications of international commercial law in UK commercial laws.
Assessing the effectiveness of international commercial law programs in UK universities.
Evaluating the effectiveness of commercial law to support commercial transactions in the US.
Critical analysis of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Discuss the benefits of Commercial Law
Analyze the difficulties faced by businesses due to pursuing Regular or Commercial Lease
Describe the effect of business law on commercial transactions and licensing
Critical analysis of the labor law in Tanzania
Develop a comparative study on international labor standards that regulate multinational companies in developing countries

Constitutional Law Research Topics

The Internet and its impact on Free Speech
The pros and cons of federalism
What’s the freedom of the press?
The desecration and flag burning
A comparison between constitutions and state laws
What are the rights of victims of self-incrimination?
The pros and cons of Constitutionalism
All about gun control and its history in the US
What are the key changes that the First Amendment has brought?
What changes did the Bill of Rights bring?

Criminal Law Research Topics

Why does one crime have a set of different punishments?
The roots of criminologists’ work and their work in modern times
Can sociology have an impact on preventing crime?
The ethical and legal issues related to criminal activity in your country.
The real truth behind domestic violence
What is quantitative criminology, and how does it differ from other types of crime?
When does the international criminal court come into play?
Analyzing the use of lie detectors in criminal justice: How effective are the lie detectors?
A deeper look at the history of the death penalty.
The key differences between male and female rape legislation
Evaluating crime-related factors that should not be presented in a court of law.
A thematic review of criminal theory: Exploring the link between crime and morality.
What are the best ways to protect witnesses from retaliation in criminal cases?
Is criminal profiling by law enforcement truly helpful in identifying serial killers?
How does the criminal justice system keep an eye on police with body cameras?

Read more: Criminal Justice Research Topics Idea for students

Research Topics on Family Law

Evaluating the impacts of the law on divorce: Has it increased the cases of divorce or reduced them?
Review the important implications and reasons for changes to family law in the last 20 years.
Assessing the factors that hinder couples from pursuing a divorce.
The global issues and legal aspects of marriage and divorce of mentally unstable individuals.
Explore divorce and social consequences across family law and religious perspectives.
Analyze the legal foundations of parenting and civil partnerships.
Assessing human rights in states that follow religious laws for families: A case study of India.
Compare the divorce rights for women in Pakistan and the UK.
How does culture impact decision-making on transgender marriages and divorce in the US?
Evaluating the compatibility of child justice with family justice: A case study of the UK.

Cyber Law Research Topics

The main cyber laws and enforcement today
What are the skills of an excellent cyber lawyer?
How can the government impact cyberterrorism?
Cybercrime and cyberterrorism
The penalties for cybercrime
All about private data, revenge porn, blackmailing, and our internet privacy
Is it the government’s job to analyze the flow of network traffic?
Cyberlaw trends and how the online community sticks to them.
The Internet Era and identity theft: Is it a crime of modern times?
Categories of cybercrime and the main cybersecurity strategies against violators.

Read more: Interesting Cybercrime Research Topics To Deal With your paper

Research Ideas on Environmental Law

The environmental influence on the rate of crime
How has global environmental law changed today?
The importance of environmental law for the health of current generations.
Biological weapons and their regulations by international environmental law.
Will the Uber industry impact the ecology in America?
The current environmental regulations in the United States
Sustainability and environmental compliance due to environmental law and economic reality.
All about the environmental regulations in Canada
Waste management in countries with a high economic level.
Environmental law in Australia and climate change

Employment Law Research Topics

A comprehensive review of employment contracts and job contracts in the US manufacturing industry.
A legal viewpoint of employee mobility between European Union countries.
Equal employment opportunities: Comparing gender differences in the UK and US regulations.
Compare the UK laws before and after exiting the European Union.
Reviewing legal perspectives of social work employment: A case study of California, USA.
A comparative analysis of employment laws in the automotive industry in the US and UK.
Analyze the impact of trade unions and their work in the UK.
The convergence of employment laws and religion in the USA: A literature review.
Evaluating the efficiency of workplace sexual harassment: A case study of the US and UK.
A critical evaluation of the employment law of disabled individuals in the US.

Law Research Topics on Intellectual Property

Evaluating laws for intellectual property rights protection on the internet.
A comprehensive assessment of the economic impacts of intellectual property rights
Evaluating the fair dealing in terms of copyright law: A case study of the US.
How has EU law impacted the intellectual property regime in the UK?
Can the emerging technological advancements operate smoothly with the current intellectual property laws in the US?
Demystifying the relationship between intellectual property laws and EU regulations?
Comparing and contrasting the intellectual property regimes in the UK and the US.
Evaluating the implications of Brexit on the protection of intellectual property rights in the UK.
Is the EU intellectual property law safe and fair for users and owners?
Does the EU copyright law provide ample balance between the needs of inventors and users?
Comparison of the institutions and regulations governing intellectual property in China and India
An in-depth analysis of the UK’s invention and patenting system: Can the existing, rigid system stimulate innovation?
Critical analysis of the development of copyright and moral rights in the legal system of Europe
Infringement of foreign copyright and jurisdiction of the European Court
Critical analysis of the economic rationale of Trademarks
Analyze the emerging role of patents in innovation and intellectual property protection in the software industry
Peer-to-Peer Technology: Analysis of contributory infringement and fair use
Trademark protection is and ought to be the need of businesses to protect their brand value: Explain
What do fair pricing and fair dealing with copyright regulations mean?
Trade-Related Aspects of IP Rights: A Workable Instrument for Enforcing Benefit Sharing

International Law Research Paper Topics

The principles used to formulate international criminal laws.
Ethical systems and international relations
Problems of code-based ethics
How do different countries deal with false confessions?
Different treatment of terrorism as a crime in different countries
Diplomats and their protection of international morality.
Did the US involvement in Iraq provide justice or violate the law?
Laws on mental health in different countries
The issues of traditional justification
The question of ethics in the international legal context.
International Human Rights Court Hearings: Evaluating the importance of precedence.
What are the problems of enforcing international law in developing countries?
Evaluating the efficiency of International Tribunals in solving war crimes.
Digital and internet legislation: Forecasting the future.
Assessing the relationship between public safety and civil liberties in international laws.

Medical Law Research Topics

The common law towards refusal of medical treatment.
Evaluating the laws governing organ transplantation: A case study of the US .
How do ethics and medical law coexist?
Ethics and Medical Laws in World War II
Law application in medicine: Exploring the antecedents and practice.
Evaluating the ethical and legal challenges of using biobanks.
Exploring the legal aspects of electronic fetal monitoring.
How do lawsuits affect medical practitioners’ commitment to offering lifesaving treatments?
Unregistered medical intervention in the UK: What are the legal implications?
Morality and law in the abortion debate.
In accordance with international environmental law, biological weapons are prohibited.
Will the Uber industry have an impact on American ecology?
United States environmental laws are in effect today.
Due to environmental legislation and economic reality, sustainability, and environmental compliance.
anything about Canadian environmental laws.
evaluating aspects of crime that shouldn’t be discussed in court.
What are the best strategies for shielding witnesses in criminal cases from reprisals?
A more thorough examination of the death penalty’s past
Examining the connection between crime and morality is the focus of this examination of criminal theory.
A case study of London’s examination into the difficulties in determining the type and distribution of crime.

A Few More Medical Law Research Ideas

How to balance the rights of defendants and victims when using anonymity in sexual offense litigation.
Slavery, prostitution, and human trafficking. the methods used globally to eradicate it.
Is identity theft a modern-day crime? prevention of identity theft in the post-Internet era.
criminality and psychology. Are some people more likely than others to breach the law?
Social control theory against the self-control hypothesis
False confessions and how they are handled in various nations.
The environment’s impact on crime rates is one of the theories behind shattered windows.
Similarities and disparities between mental diseases and crime in various nations.
education, criminal behavior, and intelligence.
From the beginning to the present, criminologists’ fieldwork.
How does quantitative criminology differ from other types of crime? What is it?
When is the use of the international criminal court appropriate?
Examining the effectiveness of lie detectors in the criminal justice system:
A more thorough investigation of the death penalty’s past.
The main distinctions between male and female rape laws
Assessing criminal-related variables that shouldn’t be brought up in court.
What effects has EU law had on the UK’s system of intellectual property?
Can the advancing technologies coexist peacefully with the US’s current intellectual property laws?
Explaining the connection between EU rules and intellectual property laws?

Wrapping Up

In order to get top grades for your law research paper, a peculiar topic is mainly needed. Especially, by choosing an idea from the list of 150+ law research topics suggested in this blog post, you can write a top-quality academic paper and make your work stand out in the crowd. In case you find it difficult to write a legal research paper, then immediately reach out to us for professional Law assignment help . We have a team of academic writers who are experts in the field of law to assist you in completing your law research paper on any impressive topic as per requirements.

Simply, book your order and get an original law research paper beyond your expectations.

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A Research Guide
Research Paper Topics

120 Law Research Paper Topics

How to choose a topic for your law research paper:.

Business Law Research Paper Topics:

The impact of intellectual property laws on innovation in the technology industry
The legal implications of data breaches and cybersecurity in the business sector
The role of corporate social responsibility in shaping business law and regulations
The legal challenges of international business transactions and cross-border disputes
The impact of antitrust laws on competition and market dynamics
The legal framework for protecting consumer rights in e-commerce
The legal implications of employee privacy rights in the digital age
The role of business law in regulating corporate governance and preventing corporate misconduct
The legal challenges of regulating emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and blockchain
The legal implications of environmental regulations on business operations and sustainability
The role of business law in promoting fair trade and preventing unfair business practices
The legal challenges of regulating online platforms and the sharing economy
The impact of labor laws on employee rights and workplace regulations
The legal implications of international trade agreements and their impact on domestic businesses
The role of business law in protecting intellectual property rights in the creative industries

Criminal Law Research Paper Topics:

The impact of mandatory minimum sentencing laws on the criminal justice system
The role of forensic evidence in criminal investigations and trials
The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs in reducing recidivism rates
The ethical implications of using plea bargaining in criminal cases
The relationship between mental illness and criminal behavior
The use of technology in preventing and investigating cybercrimes
The impact of racial profiling on the criminal justice system
The legal and ethical considerations of the death penalty
The role of eyewitness testimony in criminal trials
The impact of drug policies on crime rates and public health
The legal and social implications of juvenile justice reform
The use of DNA evidence in exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals
The role of criminal law in addressing domestic violence
The impact of hate crime legislation on preventing and prosecuting hate crimes
The legal and ethical considerations of surveillance and privacy rights in criminal investigations

International Law Research Paper Topics:

The impact of international human rights law on state sovereignty
The role of international criminal law in addressing war crimes and crimes against humanity
The effectiveness of international environmental law in combating climate change
The legal implications of cyber warfare in the context of international law
The challenges and opportunities of international trade law in the era of globalization
The role of international humanitarian law in protecting civilians during armed conflicts
The legal framework for the protection of cultural heritage in times of armed conflict
The legal implications of state-sponsored terrorism under international law
The role of international law in addressing the refugee crisis and protecting the rights of refugees
The legal aspects of territorial disputes and the role of international law in resolving them
The impact of international investment law on foreign direct investment and economic development
The legal framework for the protection of indigenous peoples’ rights under international law
The role of international law in addressing transnational organized crime
The legal implications of the use of force in self-defense under international law
The challenges and opportunities of international law in regulating emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons

Law Enforcement Research Paper Topics:

The impact of community policing on crime rates
Racial profiling and its effects on law enforcement practices
The use of body-worn cameras in improving police accountability
The role of technology in modern law enforcement
The effectiveness of intelligence-led policing in preventing terrorism
Police use of force: examining policies and training methods
The relationship between mental health and law enforcement interactions
The impact of social media on law enforcement investigations
Police corruption and strategies for prevention
The role of law enforcement in addressing domestic violence
The use of predictive policing algorithms in crime prevention
The challenges and benefits of implementing restorative justice in law enforcement
The role of law enforcement in combating human trafficking
The impact of drug decriminalization on law enforcement efforts
The effectiveness of community-based alternatives to incarceration in reducing recidivism rates

Constitutional Law Research Paper Topics:

The impact of the First Amendment on freedom of speech in the digital age
Analyzing the constitutionality of affirmative action policies in higher education
The role of the Supreme Court in shaping the interpretation of the Second Amendment
Exploring the constitutionality of warrantless surveillance programs in the United States
The constitutional implications of the death penalty in the context of cruel and unusual punishment
Analyzing the constitutionality of presidential executive orders and their limits
The constitutional rights of non-citizens and the balance between national security and civil liberties
The impact of the Fourth Amendment on privacy rights in the era of technological advancements
The constitutionality of restrictions on religious freedom in the United States
Analyzing the constitutional implications of the war on drugs and its impact on individual rights
The role of the judiciary in protecting reproductive rights and the constitutionality of abortion laws
The constitutional implications of the use of military force and executive power in times of war
Analyzing the constitutionality of campaign finance regulations and their impact on free speech
The constitutional rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and the evolution of marriage equality
The balance between national security and civil liberties in the context of surveillance and intelligence gathering

Environmental Law Research Paper Topics:

The role of international environmental law in addressing climate change
The effectiveness of environmental impact assessments in ensuring sustainable development
Legal implications of biodiversity conservation and protection
The legal framework for regulating pollution from industrial activities
The role of environmental justice in addressing environmental inequalities
Legal challenges and opportunities in transitioning to renewable energy sources
The legal implications of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture
The role of environmental law in protecting and managing water resources
Legal frameworks for addressing marine pollution and protecting marine ecosystems
The legal aspects of waste management and recycling
The role of environmental law in promoting sustainable urban development
Legal challenges in regulating and mitigating air pollution
The legal framework for protecting indigenous rights and traditional knowledge in environmental conservation
The role of environmental law in addressing deforestation and promoting sustainable forestry practices
Legal implications of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, in environmental governance

Family Law Research Paper Topics:

The impact of divorce on children’s mental health
The role of domestic violence in child custody disputes
Same-sex marriage and adoption rights: A comparative analysis
The legal implications of surrogacy and assisted reproductive technologies
Parental alienation syndrome: Legal and psychological perspectives
The effectiveness of prenuptial agreements in protecting individual assets
The legal rights of grandparents in child custody battles
The impact of substance abuse on child custody determinations
The legal and ethical considerations of international child abduction cases
The role of family courts in protecting victims of domestic violence
The legal implications of cohabitation and common-law relationships
The impact of social media on divorce proceedings and child custody disputes
The legal rights of unmarried fathers in child custody cases
The role of child support in ensuring the financial well-being of children
The legal and ethical considerations of assisted suicide in cases of terminal illness within families

Employment Law Research Paper Topics:

Discrimination in the workplace: Analyzing the impact of anti-discrimination laws on employment practices
The gig economy and its implications for employment law: Examining the legal challenges faced by gig workers
Workplace harassment and its legal consequences: Investigating the effectiveness of anti-harassment policies
The role of social media in employment law: Exploring the legal boundaries of monitoring employees’ online activities
Employee privacy rights in the digital age: Analyzing the balance between employers’ interests and employees’ privacy expectations
The impact of minimum wage laws on employment rates: Evaluating the economic effects of minimum wage legislation
Non-compete agreements and their enforceability: Assessing the legal limitations and implications of non-compete clauses
Workplace safety regulations and their enforcement: Examining the effectiveness of occupational health and safety laws
The legal implications of workplace drug testing: Analyzing the balance between employers’ interests and employees’ privacy rights
The rights of employees with disabilities: Investigating the legal obligations of employers to accommodate disabled workers
Whistleblower protection laws and their effectiveness: Assessing the legal safeguards for employees who report wrongdoing
The legal implications of employee surveillance: Analyzing the boundaries of workplace monitoring and its impact on employee rights
Employment contracts and their enforceability: Examining the legal requirements and limitations of employment agreements
The legal obligations of employers in cases of workplace violence: Investigating the duty of employers to provide a safe working environment
The impact of technology on employment law: Exploring the legal challenges posed by automation, artificial intelligence, and robotics in the workplace

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When it comes to legal topics for research papers, students have plenty of options. Whether you're interested in exploring issues related to criminal, corporate, or constitutional law, there are many topics from which you can choose. The first step is the selection of a subject that you find exciting and engaging. This part will provide the foundation for excellent law research paper topics. Students need to understand law topics they can work on by exploring what a perfect legal research topic covers. In this article by our law essay writing service , we provide engaging, easy, unique, and trending legal topics to help you choose one which fits your interests. We have also classified different legal topics into their respective branches: business, banking, finance, civil rights, constitutional, corporate, criminal, international, education, immigration, entertainment, employment, family, environmental and animal laws. This post will act as a stepping stone to writing a successful paper in any of these legal fields. Let us begin by understanding legal research paper topics.

What Are Legal Research Paper Topics

Legal research paper topics focus on analyzing and interpreting laws and their historical development. The papers will look into legal issues, including constitutional, criminal, civil rights, labor, international, and environmental laws. These topics can provide an exciting and essential lens through which you can analyze and discuss various policies. Such knowledge is crucial in helping students identify changes that a country has gone through over time, develop an understanding of the legal system, and build solid arguments on legal issues. You will need to identify how to select a topic for your paper, which is why our professional paper writers suggest searching for legal topics for research paper thoroughly before you begin writing.

What Makes a Good Legal Research Topic?

Good law research paper topics can be framed around a legal issue, case study, or legislative development. You want to select an excellent legal research topic that meets the following criteria:

Relevance: The topic should be relevant to current events, policies, or practices.
Uniqueness: Choose a unique and interesting topic so your research will stand out from the rest.
Manageable scope: Ensure you select an area with adequate learning resources for the intended project.
Accessibility: Ensure that you can easily access resources related to the topic.
Practicality: Select a topic that can be applied to real-world scenarios.
Clarity of purpose: Identify the goal of your research and make sure your chosen topic aligns with it.
Accountability: Choose a topic where research results can be verified and replicated.
Sustainability: Consider the long-term implications of the chosen topic to ensure it will be relevant in the future.

How to Choose Topics in Law?

In the process of selecting law topics , it is essential to consider a personal purpose for which you are writing. For example, are you looking to inform, explore, or argue a position? Once you have identified the goal, you can choose an appropriate topic more easily.

Step 1: Start familiarizing yourself with relevant acts and legislations as well as legal concepts through internet and library research. This will help you narrow your focus while identifying a potential topic.

Step 2: Do extensive research to determine current legal issues related to your topic. Use various sources such as books, newspapers, magazines, websites, databases, etc.

Step 3: Make sure you select an area or concept that is manageable in scope and has enough resources for your intended project.

Step 4: Think of how you can make your topic more exciting or unique. Questions that should be considered include "What point of view could I take?" or "How can I approach the topic differently?"

Step 5: Brainstorm and develop a list of possible law research topics to choose from. Once you have identified several potential issues, evaluate them based on your research to determine which topic you should select.

Properly following these steps, you can find a good law research paper topic that is interesting and relevant to the specific field. In case you require expert assistance with the writing process upon topic selection, feel free to approach our academic writing service. Our writers are well-versed in different fields, including law, and can produce outstanding studies upon ‘ write my research paper for me ’ request.

Law Research Paper Topics

Law project topics allow students to choose from matters related to legal issues. These topics are often comprehensive in scope and require extensive research for the student to make a convincing argument in their papers. Look at this list of potential law research paper topics that students can use to write their essays:

Right of self-defense in the United States.
Immigration regulations and their impact on society.
Use of DNA evidence in criminal justice systems.
Anti-discrimination regulations in different countries.
Intellectual property rights protection in the digital age.
Cybercrime and its impact on businesses.
Impact of tax laws on companies.
Freedom of expression in the media.
Juvenile justice: a comparison across different countries.
Corporate social responsibility and its effect on business reputation.
Human rights versus national security.
Use of technology in law enforcement.
International trade and its impact on globalization.
Social media censorship regulations.
Human trafficking as a modern form of slavery.

Interesting Legal Topics

Different students have different interests, and legal topics are no exception. Your own ideas can be an excellent starting point for you to decide which path to take for the research. Below are some interesting law topics we have written for you to choose from:

Worldwide legal systems: structures, history, principles, and processes.
Legal theory and its implications in genetics.
Legal developments in technology, including implications and trends.
Legal concepts between countries, including similarities and differences in systems and principles.
Legal effects in cyber security and liabilities associated with data protection.
Legal issues related to gender equality.
Legal developments in international human rights and legal obligations.
Legal frameworks and regulations governing environmental protection.
Legal issues related to corporate governance and protections for shareholders.
Developments in labor laws , including theories of worker protection.
Legal frameworks driving international trade and underlying economic regulation principles.
Legal concepts related to intellectual property and rewards for innovators.
Legal issues pertaining to constitutional regulations and implications of executive power.
Legal developments in taxation and obligations concerning taxes imposed by the government.
Theories developed through legal precedents and decisions from various jurisdictions.

Unique Law Research Topic

Uniqueness is everything for students in research papers since an outstanding topic can be a stepping stone to scoring high grades. If you are looking for law paper topics that will grab your reader's attention while still attracting the professor's interest, look no further. We have compiled a list of 15 unique topics for law research paper as an easy way to get you started:

The impact of corporate social responsibility in legal settings.
Online privacy and cybersecurity: challenges and regulations.
Legal implications of artificial intelligence development.
The role of cybercrime in a digital age.
An analysis of international human rights policies.
Environmental regulations and their implications for global sustainability.
The importance of the fourth amendment in the United States constitution.
An analysis of the impact of tax laws on businesses.
The role of technology in criminal law enforcement.
Exploring the implications of intellectual property laws.
The use of social media and its effects on privacy rules and regulations.
Regulations governing cryptocurrency markets.
Data protection regulations: a global analysis.
Drug regulations and their impact on society.
Exploring the role of international humanitarian code in conflict resolution.

These topics will surely get you started on an intriguing research paper! With their help, you will write a captivating essay to engage and inform your readers.

Easy Legal Topics for Research Papers

Choosing easy legal paper topics can help you develop a practical as well as an efficient research paper for your studies. However, students studying law-related courses can find it challenging to pick suitable legal topics for research paper. To make this task easier, here are some issues you can choose from to write an excellent law paper:

Should the death penalty be banned?
Acts regulating cyber crime.
The right to privacy and digital security.
Legal principles of animal protection.
The role of the U.S. justice system in protecting the mentally ill.
The impact of international conventions on national laws.
Freedom of expression and censorship issues.
Defining hate speech.
Access to authorized services for underprivileged groups.
Is domestic violence a private matter or a public issue?
Drug abuse among juveniles and the role of the justice system.
Ethical issues in medical law.
Laws affecting refugees and asylum seekers.
Human rights violations in war-torn countries.
Efforts by the legal system to counter cybercrime.

Best Legal Research Topics in Different Law Branches

Law has a range of branches from which students can select ideas for their papers. Legal research topics for law students can be pretty challenging, especially when your professor requires you to tackle a topic in a specific branch. Branches for law topics to use in legal research paper highlighted in this blog include laws in business, banking and finance, civil rights, constitutional, corporate, criminal, international, immigration, education, entertainment, employment, family, environmental, and animal law topics. See below for the specialized categories of law topics for essays.

Business Law Topics for Research Papers

Business law forms the foundation for modern legal studies, providing frameworks that govern businesses and corporate operations. The business law research paper topics you select should be highly relevant to business and legal frameworks. Here are some legal topics to write about:

Different business contracts and their legal implications.
Business strategies for protecting intangible property rights.
The role of corporate boards in business decision-making processes.
Code of conduct for federal employees: rights and responsibilities.
Businesses' responsibilities in recognizing as well as enforcing collective bargaining agreements.
Business regulations limiting companies' ability to engage in anti-competitive practices.
Legal considerations for corporate consolidation business deals.
Business regulations when conducting business across borders.
The moral implications of business decisions and policies.
The importance of business regulations for organizations and institutions.

Find more business law topics for research paper by browsing one more blog.

Banking and Finance Law Topics

The banking sector is crucial for our economic system, and banking laws are vital to its proper functioning. Banks and financial organizations help us store, exchange, and manage money, and students in the banking and finance law field learn the regulations governing these activities. Let us look at these ten banking and finance law research topics that you can choose from:

The impact of new technologies on financial regulations.
Regulatory responses to banking crises around the world.
How usury laws affect interest rates and redit accessibility.
An analysis of recent bank mergers and aquisitions.
Investigating a link between financial stability and monetary policy.
An analysis of banking secrecy laws in different countries.
The impact of money laundering regulations on financial systems.
How terrorism financing regulations affect bank security.
A comparative study of consumer protection laws in banking systems.
Examining the effects of tax havens on the global banking system.

>> View more: Financial Research Topics

Civil Rights Topics of Law

The civil rights movement and the laws that followed have had a lasting impact on our lives today. Many of these issues remain relevant, so it is essential to research civil rights topics better to understand the complexities as well as implications of civil rights. Here are ten civil rights research paper topics to help you get started:

The civil rights movement and its legacy.
The role of civil disobedience in civil rights reform.
Voting rights and racial discrimination.
Education equality through civil rights regulations.
Limitations to civil liberties within the bill of rights.
Civil rights protection for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Immigration laws and civil rights violations.
Racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
Women's civil rights issues.
The role of civil engagement in civil rights reform.

Constitutional Law Research Paper Topics

Constitutional law is a complex and fascinating field of study that examines how constitutional rights are enforced, interpreted, as well as applied in different jurisdictions. Provided legal essay topics are an excellent starting point. If you're looking for constitutional law topics for research papers to write about, here are some ideas to get you started:

The role of the Supreme Court in protecting constitutional rights.
How states can limit constitutional rights and the applicability of constitutional principles to state regulations.
The implications of constitutional amendments on protection for vulnerable populations.
Examine the constitutional right to privacy in relation to technology and data collection practices.
The constitutional framework for constitutional protections of religious freedom.
The protection of constitutional rights in the context of police searches and seizures.
An analysis of constitutional laws regarding the right to bear arms and gun control regulations across different states.
Examine constitutional protections for freedom of speech and the implications of hate speech laws.
The constitutional framework for reproductive rights, including access to abortion services.
An exploration of constitutional regulations on voting rights and electoral integrity in different jurisdictions.

Combine this area with some historical facts for example. History research paper topics that we created for students may help.

Corporate Law Paper Topics

Research in corporate law can provide insight into the structure that shapes corporate entities, their operations, as well as corporate accountability. Here are ten corporate law research paper topics to consider for your next research project:

How does corporate social responsibility (CSR) affect corporate performance?
What systems are in place to ensure corporate accountability?
Impact of financial regulation on corporate compliance and risk management.
The legal implications of corporate mergers & acquisitions activities.
Role of contract laws in governing corporate agreements.
How does corporate tax law influence corporate decisions?
Legal protections for corporate I.P. rights.
Types of corporate fraud and misconduct and available remedies.
Corporate law considerations for multinational corporate entities.
Corporate securities regulation and its implications for corporate activity.

Criminal Law Topics for Essays

Criminal law focuses on studying the implications of criminal behavior and activities. These law research paper topics list can help you find a clear direction for criminal essays. Criminologists in practice and students can choose from the list of legal topics for essay we have outlined below:

Criminal justice reform impact on indigenous people.
How does the justice system treat people of different backgrounds and identity?
Impact of immigration on criminal activity.
Cybercrime: an analysis of law enforcement practices.
Exploring sentencing policies for juvenile offenders.
Assessing the effectiveness of restorative justice processes.
Defense strategies in criminal trials.
Role of media representations in shaping perceptions of crime.
Future of capital punishment as a deterrent for serious crimes.
The impact of dna technologies on criminal investigations and prosecutions.

>> Read more: Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

International Law Research Topics

You can brainstorm different legal research questions from the branch of international law to help you choose one to focus on. This field covers international agreements, organizations, dispute resolution, as well as criminal justice issues. This makes it a wide-ranging body of research with many potential areas of study. Here are ten international topics for research papers to consider:

The impact of globalization on international trade.
How do international organizations contribute to peacekeeping and conflict resolution?
How the law of the sea affects maritime disputes.
How do international regulations protect global environmental resources?
Organizations' role in establishing international legal norms.
Legal obligations ensuring fair international trade.
Laws and their role in addressing international criminal activity.
Challenges arising from attempts to enforce international law in the developing countries.
What is the importance of international law?
Laws providing international protection to refugees.

Immigration Law Topics for Research Paper

Globalization has helped create a diverse population in many countries but intensified immigration. Exploring the following law research paper ideas will help you pick a good topic for your paper. Here are ten immigration law research paper topics to get you started:

Immigration law and human rights.
Challenges of establishing immigration regulations in the U.S.
Immigration policy role in fighting terrorism.
Unauthorized immigrants' impact on local economies.
Refugee protection under international law .
Family-based immigration policies.
Challenges faced by immigrant students in K-12 education.
The legality of immigration detention.
Rights and responsibilities of undocumented workers.
Impact of immigration regulations impact on national security.

Education Law Topics for Legal Research Papers

The legal field of education examines issues related to educational institutions as well as students themselves. It covers student rights, teacher/staff responsibilities, disciplinary procedures, school safety, harassment, and funding. You will definitely find education law fascinating after reading through these topics, which also gives you a chance to choose one topic that interests you most. Here are ten legal writing topics to explore in this field:

The legal rights of school administrators and teachers.
Student legal rights in disciplinary actions.
Legal requirements for special education students.
Parental legal rights and responsibilities in school matters.
Legal aspects of student privacy issues in classrooms and online.
Legal issues related to the use of technology in schools.
Legal issues related to school safety and security.
Legal implications of religious expression in public schools.
Legal aspects of the No Child Left Behind act.
Legal requirements for student access to educational resources.

There is one more blog in our library that will provide you with more ideas in this field. Browse different research questions on education and come up with something interesting.

Entertainment Law Research Topics

Entertainment law covers the connection between entertainment, intellectual property rights, and business. Students need to have several law research paper topic ideas to explore legal issues surrounding entertainment. Here are ten entertainment law essay topics to explore:

Impact of digital music streaming on copyright rules and regulations.
Importance of privacy rights in social media.
Legal implications of celebrity endorsements.
Overview of film production agreements.
Music publishers' role in the entertainment industry.
A study of intellectual property rights and the impact on organizational creativity.
Regulation of online gaming platforms from a legal perspective.
Role of trademark regulation in sports broadcasting.
How to protect a brand in entertainment industry from unauthorized use.
Consumer protection laws and their impact on the music industry.

Employment Law Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on employment law provides an opportunity to explore current areas related to employment rights and responsibilities. The following are some potential employment law paper topics:

The history and development of employment regulation in the U.S.
Employment discrimination laws and their efficacy in reducing workplace discrimination.
How employment laws affect contract negotiations.
A comparison between employment regulations in the united states and other countries.
State employment rules and their impact on employment practices.
Legal implications of employment-at-will.
Employment law and the impact of recent employment legislation.
How employment code have changed over time to address employment disputes.
The relationship between employment law and employment unions.
How employment regulations have evolved to address remote employment arrangements.

Family Law Legal Topics to Write About

In everyday life, family law deals with relationships between family members, including marriage, adoption, and child custody. It covers various issues, from divorce to prenuptial agreements. If you are looking for legal topics for research paper in family law to write about, here are some suggestions:

Legal process of adoption and its implications.
Parent's rights in a divorce.
Legal aspects of prenuptial agreements.
Post-divorce legal issues: alimony, child custody, and visitation rights.
Regulations governing surrogacy and assisted reproductive technology.
Financial responsibilities during a divorce or separation.
Legal rights of same-sex couples in adoption and divorce.
Legal implications of domestic abuse.
Grandparent visitation rights after divorce.
Legal process of estate planning and inheritance in family law cases.

Environmental Law Research Paper Topics

Environmental law focuses on studying as well as implementing important environmental regulations, such as pollution control or wildlife conservation. These environmental research paper topics can guide writing an essay that will definitely help you get a good grade. Here are ten potential legal research paper topics to explore in this field:

Global warming: legal implications in developed countries.
Environmental regulations impact on private property.
An analysis of the EPA's regulation of air quality.
International regulations role in combating marine pollution.
An examination of endangered species legislation.
A comparison between the U.S. and E.U. environmental regulations.
Economic implications of carbon taxes.
An evaluation of international efforts to combat climate change.
A study of U.S. environmental regulations and their impact on businesses.
The use of international courts for resolving disputes related to the environment.

Animal Law Topics to Research

Animal law is increasingly gaining attention as animal rights lawyers and activists fight for recognition in the justice system. We consider animals an essential part of nature, and their protection has become vital. With this growing interest, research papers are becoming more popular among students as well as animal advocates. To help you get started on your animal law research paper topics, here is a list to explore:

Animal sentience and its implications for animal law.
Legal recognition of animal rights.
Current status of animal welfare practices in the U.S.
International animal protection laws and regulations.
Judicial decisions on an animal cruelty case.
Effectiveness of animal rights advocacy groups.
Animal experimentation: ethical considerations and legal implications.
What is the impact of the animal rights movement on society?
The role of animal law in environmental protection.
Animal hoarding and the legal consequences of owning multiple animals.

Final Thoughts on Law & Legal Topics for Research Papers

When it comes to legal research paper topics, there is no shortage of ideas. From criminal and civil laws to international issues, the legal field presents a wide range of potential topics for your research paper. Be sure to narrow down your topic to ensure that you can adequately cover the issue you are writing about in your essay. Additionally, consulting resources, including scholarly articles, is important as you conduct your research. Doing so will help ensure that your paper provides adequate as well as accurate information. With the right law research topic, you can write an effective as well as engaging essay to help you stand out in the profession.

Contact our professional writing service and get help with research paper writing from academic pros. Our experts have solid experience in academic writing and always deliver papers beyond expectations.

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Law Research Paper Topics: 150 Impactful Ideas for Law Students

Legal matters always tend to influence almost every kind of reader, which is an excellent opportunity for legal students. An impressive law topic helps you to create a strong foothold for your entire legal research paper. Thus, you cannot risk your research paper by choosing poor law research paper topics.

With so many variations in law subjects, students find it hard to select the most interesting legal topic. So in this article, you will get some of the best creative legal topics to write about. Keep reading this article for some unique and innovative law research paper topics.

But before moving forward to our selected legal topics to write about, let’s discuss some pre- topic selection tips. These tips will provide you with the initial guidance regarding the selection of your law research paper topics.

Table of Contents

Law Research Paper Topic Selection Tips From Our Expert Writers

Don’t let yourself fall into irrelevant, unnecessary law research topic ideas. They will only make an impression of “fillers, ” resulting in obsolete content. Your legal research paper topic must be able to demonstrate your ideas and concerns in a concise manner with excellent communication skills.

Analyzing Different Legal Research Paper Topics

Whether you are a business student looking for business research topics or a law student searching for law research paper topics, the most appropriate approach is a thorough analysis of your favourite subjects. Law subjects such as business law, administrative law, constitutional law, etc., include various interesting legal topics. Select the most interesting subjects and break them into different topics. You can start by analyzing:

The current legal developments
A novel case where courts have split on their exposition of the law
Reading previous scholarly publications
Suggestions b
y your supervisors
A thorough update on the current affairs
Digging into different topic ideas

Mind-Mapping

Make a mind map of each of those pieces of information. Highlight the main points on a paper, and add their supporting details. By practicing this, you will get to understand a rough figure of how much information you can get on the following topic.

Check Reference Material from the Library

The increasing accessibility of internet usage has made it even more convenient for a large section of students. This method will ensure that your research topic consists of various information sources. It ensures that your research will not be interrupted due to the lack of resources.

Novel Cases Topic Ideas

The most common approach for selecting a legal research paper topic is focusing on the cases raised as a novel law issue. To identify these topics, you can browse the legal developments. You can also go through the recent legal matters before the Supreme Court or the highest authorized courts in different nations.

Consider Your Daily Routines

Sit down calmly and think about the issues and matters in the world that don’t fit right with you. Is there anything that excites you? If yes, you can also consider those topics for your research.

We hope that you have found your ideal law research paper topic. However, if you still cannot decide on your topic, don’t worry- we have crystallized some of the advanced

150 Advanced Law Research Paper Topics

Business law topics for research paper.

Business law is a branch of civil law which deals with different rules and regulations which govern businesses. Research paper topics in business law are equally challenging and awarding as well.

So here’s a list of some exciting topics in business law that you can consider for your research paper.

Detailed analysis of the copyright laws
The impact of online retailing on international markets
Study on white collar crime
Conflicts of interests between private and public sector
Shareholder rights
The contract laws
A detailed handbook on business law and the parliament
Statutory research on employment law for business
The trademark law and trade secrets
A detailed study on the non-profit organizations
The true nature of business law
A concise survey of the business law of The United States
The classification of business regulations in different nations
The importance of business laws for institutions and organizations
The formation and regulation of business law in the United Kingdom
Comparative examination between the equity and doctrines of business law
The role of the constitution in developing the business law
Text, cases, and readings on international business law
Business laws in the United States
Relationship between business law and moral growth
A detailed study on business law and moral growth
Understanding the history of business law corporations and their developments

Constitutional Law Research Paper Topics

Constitutional law refers to the fundamental principles used by the government for exercising its authority. Here are some essential constitutional law research paper topics:

Comparative examination between constitutional and administrative law
A detailed study on constitutional law
The doctrine of constitutional law
The politics of constitutional law in the United Nations
The nature of constitutional law in America
Internet and its impact on freedom of speech
The detailed study on the pros and cons of federalism
The rights of victims of self-incrimination
An evaluation of press freedom
A critical analysis of press freedom in the United Nations
Legal analysis on the flag burning issue
A comparative examination of constitutional and state laws
Comparison of constitutional law in America and India
The pros and cons of constitutional law in different nations
The politics and critical changes of the First Amendment
Comparison between the bill of right for Britain and Australia

Also Read – Sociology Research Topic Ideas

International Law Research Topic suggestions

International law research topics include the study of rules, principles, and relations of different countries with one another and with its citizen or states.

This is the list of the most impressive international law research topics that you can use for your research paper:

The limits of international law in theory and practice
International law and its importance for businesses
Why must countries respect international law
The epochs of the international law system
Why do nations and citizens obey international law
Exploring the code-based ethics
An introduction to international criminal court
International jurisdiction
The self-defeating international law
Principals used to formulate international laws and proceedings
International relations among different nations
False confessions: causes and consequences on international law
The issue of false confession in international law
The traditional justifications- issues and consequence
The international and national legislation
Forecasting the future of international law via the internet
The economic and spirit analysis of international law
An economic analysis of international law and orders

Civil Rights Legal Research Topics

These rights guarantee equal social opportunities to all citizens regardless of caste, gender, sex, and race. Law topics for civil rights can develop great content. If you are someone who’s always been fascinated by civil laws, then the below-given list will surely be helpful to you.

Civil justice in different nations
The unhappy history of civil rights in the United Nations
The journey of America from civil rights to human rights
The oral history and the origin of the civil rights movements
The forgotten promises of civil rights
Study on civil liberties and racial discrimination
The United Nations patriot right
The state firearm laws
The history of sexual discrimination and orientation in the United States.

Cyber Law Research Topic Ideas

Cyberlaw, also known as the IT law, deals with the internet’s relationship with information technology and electronic elements, such as computers and the internet.

Here are some of the current cyber law research topics, have a look at each before choosing any law topic.

The role of cyber law and security in the United Nations
The future of cyberterrorism and cybercrime
Cybercrimes and their enforcement in America
Global perception of cyber law
The study of cyber laws in the United Nations
Identifying the certainties of cyber laws and cybercrimes in the future
The role of cyber law in the regulation of cyber crimes
A study about awareness of cyber laws in the United Kingdom
An analysis of cyber crimes and the enforcement of cyber laws
The issues and challenges a government face with their cyber crimes

Commercial Legal Topics for Research Paper

Commercial law is a body of law designed to regulate the conduct of individuals and merchants and support businesses in making money in trade, sales, and commerce from their products and services.

Commercials partnerships: the associated dangers and potential results
pre-incorporation contracts: a company liability
The effects of pre-incorporation agreements on German company law
The significance of mediating the role of corporate social responsibility in organizational growth
A detailed study on the US commercial laws
The difficulties in the codification of commercial law
A case study of the USA: what did the USA do in its power to stop corruption
The effectiveness of commercial law
Supporting the commercial law for supporting the commercial transactions in the US

Also Read – About our Research Proposal Writing Service

Research Paper Topic Ideas for Tax Laws

Law research on taxes can be an excellent opportunity to write an extraordinary paper. If you are considering taxes as your subject, you can view the following topics under this subject.

Here are some inspiring legal research topics to get started with your legal research:

The research methods and taxation history in the United States
A comparative study on the indirect and direct taxes in the United States
The Future agenda and research strategies in comparative taxation
The future agenda and myth of environmental taxation
The Political economy of taxation in the US
Introduction to taxation in the Indian government
Structural analysis of comparative income taxation
The power of tax in the economy
The idea of the single taxpayer: setting new agendas for research
The international exchanges ideas on taxation in the USA economy

Criminal Law Research Paper Topic Ideas

Criminal law, as distinguished from civil law. It is the body of law concerned with criminal offences and includes punishing individuals who commit them. Writing a research paper on criminal law will open numerous gates of opportunities for you.

Let’s have a look at these criminal law legal topics for your paper:

A detailed study on Criminal psychology
What is the reason behind different punishments for one crime
The role of sociology in preventing criminal offenses
The ethical and legal issues of criminal activities in the United Kingdom
Domestic violence in modern times
The impact of intensive bail supervision on repeat domestic violence offenders
A study on criminal cartel offenses in the United Kingdom
A handbook on DNA testing, fingerprints, and polygraphs
Compulsory self-incrimination as a privilege
Structural analysis of criminal violations of sexual abuse
Criminologists in ancient times versus in modern times
An analysis of cases and concepts of criminal procedures
A worldwide perspective on the death penalty
Public bail as a national disaster
Criminal law in America versus in other nations
Lie detector and the law behind it
The dimension of male and female rape legislation

Interesting legal topics for Medical law

Medical law is the body of law concerned with patients’ and medical professionals’ rights and responsibilities. The core of medical law focuses on confidentiality, negligence, and other torts regarding medical treatments.

We have provided some fascinating legal research topics to write about if you are interested in medical law.

Let’s have a look at them:

Family and medical leave act (FMLA)
An analysis of medical Malpractices
Mental health laws in the United States
Refusal of medical law and the common laws behind it
Medical laws at the time of world war2
Medical laws and ethics: Great debates behind it
Law of abortion in the United States
A systematic review of medical cannabis
Almost a revolution in the mental health law around the world
American health law around world war2

Environmental Legal Topics to Write About

We hope you must have found your law topic by now. If not, then don’t worry. We still have a few more interesting legal topics for your research paper. Let’s have a look at the below-given topics:

The growth of environmental science towards a sustainable future
The making of international environmental law
The politics and policies behind international environmental law
A detailed study on environmental and wildlife crimes
Climate change and environmental laws in Great Britain
Economic theory and environmental law policy in America
International environmental law: crime, policy, and justice
The biological weapons and policies by international environmental law
How has global environmental law changed in today’s era
The environmental law and climate changes in Australia
Environmental regulations and policies in Canada
How is the Uber industry affecting the ecology of America

Some Additional Interesting Legal Topics

Last but not least, we have crystallized some of your paper’s critical national and international law research topics. In this section, you will get a mixture of every kind of legal research paper topic. So if you are still confused about your research paper topic, look at the below-given law topic.

Children custody in the Us law
Multi banking law
Policies and practices involved in education law
Active and passive euthanasia: a right to die with dignity
The current US environmental laws
Organ donation: International and national practices regarding it
Practices of organ donation in America
Separation of banking and commerce in different nations
Employment laws and policies in the United States
The impossibility of religious freedom laws
The #Metoo movement and its consequences in different nations
A comparative analysis of terrorism laws in different nations
The anti-discrimination law The drawbacks of traditional jurisdictions
Employment law for disabled individuals in the UK
Forecasting the future with digital legislation
Sexual harassment policy in America
The right to religious freedom in International laws

Final Thoughts

You just finished reading more than 150 law research paper topics. To gain brilliant scores for your research paper, selecting an exceptional legal research topic is crucial. These unique lists of topics will surely help you score high grades in your academic research.

Our native experts from Edumagnate.com have selected every topic according to current legal requirements. They can also help you with different legal research questions or some additional business law project ideas for your research paper. These questions or topics will help you to frame your research work into a big picture, making you stand out in the crowd.

In case you have any difficulty in writing a legal research paper, you can have a look at our article – A Detailed Guide to Write an Enticing Law Research Paper . This article will help you elaborate on legal research papers’ structure and format.

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250+ Engaging Law Research Paper Topics

Hi there! When you start looking into law research paper topics, you find a whole world of amazing things to learn about. Maybe you are fascinated by criminal justice, maybe you care a lot about environmental law, or want to know more about human rights. The field of legal studies has so many interesting things to explore.

Think about digging into cyber laws, seeing how intellectual property rights affect things, or learning about international treaties. These topics aren’t just about rules; they’re about things that really matter in our lives every day.

You might be interested in talking about privacy laws in the digital world or how law and technology connect. Or maybe you want to see how courts shape our society or understand the challenges of immigration law.

As we go on this journey together, we’ll check out all sorts of cool law research paper topics. We’ll learn why they’re important in today’s world.

The Essentials Of A Good Law Research Paper Topic

Table of Contents

Choosing a good law research paper topic involves considering these aspects to ensure that the research is meaningful, feasible, and contributes to the legal discourse.

Relevance: A good topic should be relevant to current legal issues, societal concerns, or areas requiring legal clarification or reform. It should address a gap in understanding or propose solutions to existing problems.
Specificity: The topic should be specific enough to allow for in-depth exploration within the scope of a research project. A focused topic helps in conducting a comprehensive analysis and presenting coherent findings.
Interest and Significance: It should pique interest and hold significance within the legal field or society at large. A topic that explores emerging areas, challenges existing norms, or offers innovative perspectives tends to garner attention.
Feasibility: A good research topic should be manageable within the available time frame and resources. It should have accessible sources of information and data for analysis.
Debatable and Researchable: An ideal topic should invite discussion and allow for various viewpoints or arguments. It should also be researchable, meaning there should be available literature, cases, statutes, or data for analysis and interpretation.
Contribution to Knowledge: A good research topic contributes to the existing body of legal knowledge. It should offer new insights, propose novel approaches, or fill gaps in understanding within a particular area of law.
Ethical Considerations: Take regard to the ethical effects of the research topic, ensuring that it aligns with ethical standards and respects legal and moral principles.

250+ Law Research Paper Topics

Now the wait is over we have classified more than 250 topics in 25 different categories and the topics are as:

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How to do legal research in 3 steps

Knowing where to start a difficult legal research project can be a challenge. But if you already understand the basics of legal research, the process can be significantly easier — not to mention quicker.

Solid research skills are crucial to crafting a winning argument. So, whether you are a law school student or a seasoned attorney with years of experience, knowing how to perform legal research is important — including where to start and the steps to follow.

What is legal research, and where do I start?

Black's Law Dictionary defines legal research as “[t]he finding and assembling of authorities that bear on a question of law." But what does that actually mean? It means that legal research is the process you use to identify and find the laws — including statutes, regulations, and court opinions — that apply to the facts of your case.

In most instances, the purpose of legal research is to find support for a specific legal issue or decision. For example, attorneys must conduct legal research if they need court opinions — that is, case law — to back up a legal argument they are making in a motion or brief filed with the court.

Alternatively, lawyers may need legal research to provide clients with accurate legal guidance . In the case of law students, they often use legal research to complete memos and briefs for class. But these are just a few situations in which legal research is necessary.

Why is legal research hard?

Each step — from defining research questions to synthesizing findings — demands critical thinking and rigorous analysis.

1. Identifying the legal issue is not so straightforward. Legal research involves interpreting many legal precedents and theories to justify your questions. Finding the right issue takes time and patience.

2. There's too much to research. Attorneys now face a great deal of case law and statutory material. The sheer volume forces the researcher to be efficient by following a methodology based on a solid foundation of legal knowledge and principles.

3. The law is a fluid doctrine. It changes with time, and staying updated with the latest legal codes, precedents, and statutes means the most resourceful lawyer needs to assess the relevance and importance of new decisions.

Legal research can pose quite a challenge, but professionals can improve it at every stage of the process .

Step 1: Key questions to ask yourself when starting legal research

Before you begin looking for laws and court opinions, you first need to define the scope of your legal research project. There are several key questions you can use to help do this.

What are the facts?

Always gather the essential facts so you know the “who, what, why, when, where, and how” of your case. Take the time to write everything down, especially since you will likely need to include a statement of facts in an eventual filing or brief anyway. Even if you don't think a fact may be relevant now, write it down because it may be relevant later. These facts will also be helpful when identifying your legal issue.

What is the actual legal issue?

You will never know what to research if you don't know what your legal issue is. Does your client need help collecting money from an insurance company following a car accident involving a negligent driver? How about a criminal case involving excluding evidence found during an alleged illegal stop?

No matter the legal research project, you must identify the relevant legal problem and the outcome or relief sought. This information will guide your research so you can stay focused and on topic.

What is the relevant jurisdiction?

Don't cast your net too wide regarding legal research; you should focus on the relevant jurisdiction. For example, does your case deal with federal or state law? If it is state law, which state? You may find a case in California state court that is precisely on point, but it won't be beneficial if your legal project involves New York law.

Where to start legal research: The library, online, or even AI?

In years past, future attorneys were trained in law school to perform research in the library. But now, you can find almost everything from the library — and more — online. While you can certainly still use the library if you want, you will probably be costing yourself valuable time if you do.

When it comes to online research, some people start with free legal research options , including search engines like Google or Bing. But to ensure your legal research is comprehensive, you will want to use an online research service designed specifically for the law, such as Westlaw . Not only do online solutions like Westlaw have all the legal sources you need, but they also include artificial intelligence research features that help make quick work of your research

Step 2: How to find relevant case law and other primary sources of law

Now that you have gathered the facts and know your legal issue, the next step is knowing what to look for. After all, you will need the law to support your legal argument, whether providing guidance to a client or writing an internal memo, brief, or some other legal document.

But what type of law do you need? The answer: primary sources of law. Some of the more important types of primary law include:

Case law, which are court opinions or decisions issued by federal or state courts
Statutes, including legislation passed by both the U.S. Congress and state lawmakers
Regulations, including those issued by either federal or state agencies
Constitutions, both federal and state

Searching for primary sources of law

So, if it's primary law you want, it makes sense to begin searching there first, right? Not so fast. While you will need primary sources of law to support your case, in many instances, it is much easier — and a more efficient use of your time — to begin your search with secondary sources such as practice guides, treatises, and legal articles.

Why? Because secondary sources provide a thorough overview of legal topics, meaning you don't have to start your research from scratch. After secondary sources, you can move on to primary sources of law.

For example, while no two legal research projects are the same, the order in which you will want to search different types of sources may look something like this:

Secondary sources . If you are researching a new legal principle or an unfamiliar area of the law, the best place to start is secondary sources, including law journals, practice guides , legal encyclopedias, and treatises. They are a good jumping-off point for legal research since they've already done the work for you. As an added bonus, they can save you additional time since they often identify and cite important statutes and seminal cases.
Case law . If you have already found some case law in secondary sources, great, you have something to work with. But if not, don't fret. You can still search for relevant case law in a variety of ways, including running a search in a case law research tool.

Once you find a helpful case, you can use it to find others. For example, in Westlaw, most cases contain headnotes that summarize each of the case's important legal issues. These headnotes are also assigned a Key Number based on the topic associated with that legal issue. So, once you find a good case, you can use the headnotes and Key Numbers within it to quickly find more relevant case law.

Statutes and regulations . In many instances, secondary sources and case law list the statutes and regulations relevant to your legal issue. But if you haven't found anything yet, you can still search for statutes and regs online like you do with cases.

Once you know which statute or reg is pertinent to your case, pull up the annotated version on Westlaw. Why the annotated version? Because the annotations will include vital information, such as a list of important cases that cite your statute or reg. Sometimes, these cases are even organized by topic — just one more way to find the case law you need to support your legal argument.

Keep in mind, though, that legal research isn't always a linear process. You may start out going from source to source as outlined above and then find yourself needing to go back to secondary sources once you have a better grasp of the legal issue. In other instances, you may even find the answer you are looking for in a source not listed above, like a sample brief filed with the court by another attorney. Ultimately, you need to go where the information takes you.

Step 3: Make sure you are using ‘good’ law

One of the most important steps with every legal research project is to verify that you are using “good" law — meaning a court hasn't invalidated it or struck it down in some way. After all, it probably won't look good to a judge if you cite a case that has been overruled or use a statute deemed unconstitutional. It doesn't necessarily mean you can never cite these sources; you just need to take a closer look before you do.

The simplest way to find out if something is still good law is to use a legal tool known as a citator, which will show you subsequent cases that have cited your source as well as any negative history, including if it has been overruled, reversed, questioned, or merely differentiated.

For instance, if a case, statute, or regulation has any negative history — and therefore may no longer be good law — KeyCite, the citator on Westlaw, will warn you. Specifically, KeyCite will show a flag or icon at the top of the document, along with a little blurb about the negative history. This alert system allows you to quickly know if there may be anything you need to worry about.

Some examples of these flags and icons include:

A red flag on a case warns you it is no longer good for at least one point of law, meaning it may have been overruled or reversed on appeal.
A yellow flag on a case warns that it has some negative history but is not expressly overruled or reversed, meaning another court may have criticized it or pointed out the holding was limited to a specific fact pattern.
A blue-striped flag on a case warns you that it has been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court or the U.S. Court of Appeals.
The KeyCite Overruling Risk icon on a case warns you that the case may be implicitly undermined because it relies on another case that has been overruled.

Another bonus of using a citator like KeyCite is that it also provides a list of other cases that merely cite your source — it can lead to additional sources you previously didn't know about.

Perseverance is vital when it comes to legal research

Given that legal research is a complex process, it will likely come as no surprise that this guide cannot provide everything you need to know.

There is a reason why there are entire law school courses and countless books focused solely on legal research methodology. In fact, many attorneys will spend their entire careers honing their research skills — and even then, they may not have perfected the process.

So, if you are just beginning, don't get discouraged if you find legal research difficult — almost everyone does at first. With enough time, patience, and dedication, you can master the art of legal research.

Thomson Reuters originally published this article on November 10, 2020.

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Law Research Paper Topics: Exploring Legal Frontiers

Table of contents

1 How to Pick a Legal Research Topic?
2.1 Civil Rights Topics of Law
2.2 Business Law Topics for Research Papers
2.3 Banking and Finance Law Topics
2.4 Constitutional Law Research Paper Topics
2.5 Criminal Law Topics for Essays
2.6 International Law Research Topics
2.7 Employment Law Research Paper Topics
2.8 Family Law Legal Topics to Write About
2.9 Environmental Law Research Paper Topics
2.10 Animal Law Topics to Research
2.11 Artificial Intelligence Law
2.12 Data Privacy and Cybersecurity
2.13 Medical Ethics and Health Law

Delving into law topics for research paper can be as challenging as rewarding. Crafting a paper that informs and engages requires a nuanced approach to selecting an intriguing and substantive subject. Many themes await scholarly exploration in legal studies, from the ever-evolving landscape of civil rights to the intricate nuances of international law. This guide aims to illuminate the path for students and researchers, providing a scaffold to build a compelling narrative around legal inquiries that resonate with contemporary issues and academic rigors.

How to Pick a Legal Research Topic?

Selecting topics for law research paper is an exercise of intellectual curiosity and scholarly contribution. Start with what piques your interest – issues you find yourself drawn to or questioning. Assess their impact on society and their place within academic discourse. Dive into the latest legal journals and case studies to uncover fresh perspectives and uncharted areas of law. Engage with your academic circle to sharpen your topic, ensuring it’s manageable and substantive. Choose a subject that promises a rich exploration and genuinely enthuses you. Your enthusiasm will drive the comprehensive analysis and persuasive arguments that will distinguish your work.

List of Law Topics for Research Paper

Well-chosen legal research topics can set your law research paper apart. Consider these avenues: the legal ramifications of artificial intelligence, privacy laws in the digital age, the intersection of mental health and criminal defense, or the evolving landscape of international trade law.

Civil Rights Topics of Law

Civil rights law continues to evolve as society changes. These topics delve into how worldwide legal systems address new civil rights challenges.

Analyzing the Efficacy of Affirmative Action in the 21st Century
Voter ID Laws: Ensuring Integrity or Suppressing Rights?
The Legal Battle Over LGBTQ+ Adoption Rights
Disability Rights in Employment: A Legal Review
The Impact of Racial Profiling on Civil Liberties
Free Speech in the Digital Age: A Legal Perspective
Religious Apparel in the Workplace: A Civil Rights Analysis
The Evolution of Gender Equality Laws in Sports
Policing the Police: Legal Responses to Excessive Force
Housing Discrimination and the Law: Current Challenges

Business Law Topics for Research Papers

Business law topics examine the complex and dynamic relationship between the law and business practices in the modern economy.

Navigating Intellectual Property Rights in Global Trade
Legal Strategies for Preventing Corporate Espionage
Antitrust Laws and Big Tech: A Modern Analysis
Corporate Social Responsibility: Legal Implications and Benefits
The Legality of Non-Compete Clauses in Employee Contracts
Cross-Border Mergers: Legal Challenges and Strategies
Legal Pitfalls in Online Business Ventures
Environmental Regulations Impacting Business Operations
Whistleblower Protections in the Corporate Sector
Arbitration vs. Litigation in Business Disputes

Banking and Finance Law Topics

These controversial topics in law explore the intricate legal frameworks that govern the ever-evolving financial and banking sectors worldwide.

Cryptocurrency Regulation: Legal Challenges and Opportunities
The Legality of High-Frequency Trading Practices
International Banking Laws Against Money Laundering
Consumer Protection in Online Banking Services
Legal Aspects of Crowdfunding Investments
Insider Trading Laws: An International Perspective
The Role of Law in Preventing Financial Crises
Sovereign Debt Disputes and International Law
Regulation of Derivatives: Legal Perspectives
Implementing Basel III Standards: A Legal Approach

Constitutional Law Research Paper Topics

Constitutional law remains a cornerstone in legal discussions, with these topics focusing on its application in current societal debates.

Same-Sex Marriage and Constitutional Law Developments
The Second Amendment: A Modern Legal Analysis
Freedom of the Press vs. National Security Concerns
Constitutional Changes in the Era of Digital Privacy
Legal Interpretations of Executive Powers in the 21st Century
The Constitutionality of Drone Surveillance
Separation of Church and State in Contemporary Legal Cases
Affirmative Action and Equal Protection Under Law
The Role of Judicial Review in Modern Governance
Eminent Domain: Balancing Public Interest and Private Rights

Criminal Law Topics for Essays

Criminal law topics for research paper reflect the complexities of maintaining justice and order in society while protecting the rights of the accused.

Decriminalization of Drug Use: A Legal Perspective
Cyberstalking Laws and Victim Protection
The Legal Response to White-Collar Crime in the Digital Age
Criminal Justice Reform and Rehabilitation Programs
The Death Penalty: A Comparative Legal Study
Forensic Science in Criminal Trials: Legal Considerations
Juvenile Delinquency: Legal Interventions and Outcomes
Legal Defenses in High-Profile Criminal Cases
Human Trafficking and International Criminal Law
Sentencing Guidelines: A Critical Legal Review

International Law Research Topics

International law governs the conduct of states and international organizations, presenting a range of topics for exploration in this globalized world.

The Law of the Sea: Navigating Maritime Disputes
International Humanitarian Law in Modern Warfare
The Legal Framework of Global Climate Agreements
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction: A Legal Quandary
The Role of the International Criminal Court
Trade Sanctions and International Law
Sovereignty vs. Human Rights: Legal Conflicts on the Global Stage
Legal Mechanisms for Protecting Endangered Species Internationally
The Legality of Unilateral Military Interventions
Diplomatic Immunity: Principles and Controversies

Employment Law Research Paper Topics

Employment law covers the rights and duties between employers and workers, and the topics showcase how these adapt to modern trends.

Legal Implications of Remote Work Policies
Discrimination Law in the Gig Economy
Sexual Harassment Laws in the Workplace
Workers’ Rights in the Age of Automation
The Legalities of Employee Surveillance
Unionization in the Tech Industry: A Legal Review
Minimum Wage Laws and Economic Impact
Occupational Safety Laws and Their Enforcement
Employee Privacy Rights Against Corporate Interests
Age Discrimination in Hiring Practices

Family Law Legal Topics to Write About

Family law is central to society’s fabric, and these topics address the legal complexities of family relationships and their protection under the law.

The Legal Status of Surrogacy Across Different Jurisdictions
Child Custody Laws and the Best Interests of the Child
Legal Challenges in Cross-Border Adoption
Divorce Law and the Division of Assets
Domestic Violence and Protective Order Efficacy
The Rights of Unmarried Couples Under Law
Paternity Laws and Disputes
Legal Implications of Parental Alienation
Same-Sex Couple Rights in Family Law
Child Support Enforcement Across Borders

Environmental Law Research Paper Topics

Environmental law aims to reconcile economic growth with the need to protect the environment, offering a range of pertinent research topics.

Legal Strategies for Combating Deforestation
Clean Air Act: A Legal Evaluation
The Role of Law in Protecting Endangered Species
Water Rights and Legal Disputes
Environmental Impact Assessments: Legal Requirements and Outcomes
Fracking Laws and Community Health Concerns
Climate Change Litigation and Corporate Accountability
Waste Management Laws and Policies
Legal Remedies for Oil Spill Disasters
Renewable Energy Laws and Sustainable Development

Animal Law Topics to Research

Animal research topics in law are an emerging field examining how the legal system addresses the complex issues related to animal rights and welfare.

Legal Protections for Wildlife in Urban Areas
The Legality of Animal Testing in Cosmetic Industries
Endangered Species Act: Legal Successes and Challenges
Animal Welfare Laws in Agricultural Practices
Legal Rights of Animals in Entertainment
Pet Ownership Disputes and the Law
The Trade of Exotic Animals: Legal and Ethical Dimensions
Animal Cruelty Laws and Enforcement Issues
Service Animals and Disability Rights
Wildlife Trafficking and International Law

Artificial Intelligence Law

Artificial intelligence law ideas for students examine the intersection of rapidly advancing technology and existing legal frameworks, a field ripe for academic inquiry.

Autonomous Vehicles and Liability Laws
AI in Healthcare: Legal and Ethical Considerations
Intellectual Property Rights for AI Creations
Legal Personhood for AI: A Futuristic Debate
AI and Privacy Laws: Adapting to New Realities
AI in the Courtroom: Legal Implications
Bias in AI Decision-Making and the Law
Regulation of AI in Financial Services
AI and Employment Law: Shifting Paradigms
AI in National Security: Legal Frameworks

Data Privacy and Cybersecurity

Data privacy and cybersecurity trending legal topics deal with the challenges of protecting personal information in the digital realm, a vital concern for governments, corporations, and individuals.

The Right to be Forgotten in the Digital Age
Cross-Border Data Transfer Laws
Cybersecurity Laws and the Protection of Critical Infrastructure
Legal Responses to Data Breaches
Data Privacy Laws for Children and Adolescents
Encryption Laws and National Security
Legal Implications of Biometric Data Use
Cyberbullying and Legal Recourse
Consumer Data Rights and Corporate Responsibilities
The GDPR: A Model for Global Data Privacy Laws

Medical Ethics and Health Law

Medical ethics and health law address the sensitive and often controversial legal issues that arise in the provision and management of healthcare.

End-of-Life Decision-Making and Legal Rights
Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act: A Legal Analysis
Legalities of Alternative Medicine Practices
Vaccine Mandates and Public Health Law
Mental Health Law and Patient Autonomy
Reproductive Rights and the Law
Legal Aspects of Organ Donation and Transplantation
Medical Malpractice: Prevention and Litigation
Health Insurance Laws and Access to Care
The Legalities of Medical Confidentiality

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Harvard Empirical Legal Studies Series

5005 Wasserstein Hall (WCC) 1585 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA02138

Contact the Graduate Program

The Harvard Empirical Legal Studies (HELS) Series explores a range of empirical methods, both qualitative and quantitative, and their application in legal scholarship in different areas of the law. It is a platform for engaging with current empirical research, hearing from leading scholars working in a variety of fields, and developing ideas and empirical projects.

HELS is open to all students and scholars with an interest in empirical research. No prior background in empirical legal research is necessary. If you would like to join HELS and receive information about our sessions, please subscribe to our mailing list by completing the HELS mailing list form .

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the current HELS coordinator, Tiran Bajgiran.

All times are provided in U.S. Eastern Time (UTC/GMT-0400).

Spring 2024 Sessions

Empire and the shaping of american constitutional law.

Aziz Rana, BC Law

Monday, Mar. 25, 12:15 PM Lewis 202

This talk will explore how US imperial practice has influenced the methods and boundaries of American constitutional study.

Historical Approaches to Neoliberal Legality

Quinn Slobodian, Boston University

Thursday, Mar. 28, 12:15 PM Lewis 202

Fall 2023 Sessions

On critical quantitative methods.

Hendrik Theine , WU, Vienna/Univ. of Pennsylvania Monday, Nov. 6, 12:30 PM Lewis 202

Economic inequality is a profound challenge in the United States. Both income and wealth inequality increased remarkably since the 1980s. This growing concentration of economic inequality creates real-world political and societal problems which are increasingly reflected by social science scholarship. Among those detriments is for instance the increasing economic and political power of the super-rich. The research at hand takes a new radical look at media discourses of economic inequality over four decades in various elite US newspapers by way of quantitative critical discourse analysis. It shows that up until recently, there was minimal media coverage of economic inequality, but interest has steadily increased since then. Initially, the focus was primarily on income inequality, but over time, it has expanded to encompass broader issues of inequality. Notably, the discourse on economic inequality is significantly influenced by party politics and elections. The study also highlights certain limitations in the discourse. Critiques of inequality tend to remain at a general level, discussing concepts like capitalist and racial inequality. There is relatively less focus on policy-related discussions, such as tax reform, or discussions centered around specific actors, like the wealthy and their charitable contributions.

Spring 2023 Sessions

How to conduct qualitative empirical legal scholarship.

Jessica Silbey , Professor of Law at Boston University Yanakakis Faculty Research Scholar

Friday, March 31, 12:30 PM WCC 3034

This session explores the benefits and some limitations of qualitative research methods to study intellectual property law. It compares quantitative research methods and the economic analysis of law in the same field as other kinds of empirical inquiry that are helpful in collaboration but limited in isolation. Creativity and innovation, the practices intellectual property law purports to regulate, are not amenable to quantification without identifying qualitative variables. The lessons from this session apply across fields of legal research.

Fall 2022 Sessions

How to read quantitative empirical legal scholarship.

Holger Spamann , Lawrence R. Grove Professor of Law

Friday, September 13, 12:30 PM WCC 3007

As legal scholars, what tools do we need to read critically and engage productively with quantitative empirical scholarship? In the first session of the 2022-2023 Harvard Empirical Legal Studies Series, Harvard Law School Professor Holger Spamann will compare and discuss different quantitative studies. This session will be a first approximation to be able to understand and eventually produce empirical legal scholarship. All students and scholars interested in empirical research are welcome and encouraged to attend.

How do People Learn from Not Being Caught? An Experimental Investigation of a “Non-Occurrence Bias”

Tom Zur , John M. Olin Fellow and SJD candidate, HLS

Friday, November 4, 2:00 PM WCC 3007

The law and economics literature on specific deterrence has long theorized that offenders rationally learn from being caught and sanctioned. This paper presents evidence from a randomized controlled trial showing that offenders learn differently when not being caught as compared to being caught, which we call a “non-occurrence bias.” This implies that the socially optimal level of investment in law enforcement should be lower than stipulated by rational choice theory, even on grounds of deterrence alone.

Empirical Legal Research: Using Data and Methodology to Craft a Research Agenda

Florencia Marotta-Wurgler , NYU Boxer Family Professor of Law Faculty Director, NYU Law in Buenos Aires

Monday, November 14, 12:30 PM Lewis 202

Using a series of examples, this discussion will focus on strategies to conduct empirical legal research and develop a robust research agenda. Topics will include creating a data set and leveraging to answer unexplored questions, developing meaningful methodologies to address legal questions, building on existing work to develop a robust research agenda, and engaging the process of automation and scaling up to develop large scale data sets using machine learning approaches.

Resources for Empirical Research

HLS Library Empirical Research Service
Harvard Institute for Quantitative Social Research (IQSS)
Harvard Committee on the Use of Human Subjects
Qualtrics Harvard
Harvard Kennedy School Behavioral Insights Group

Past HELS Sessions

Holger Spamann (Lawrence R. Grove Professor of Law) – How to Read Quantitative Empirical Legal Scholarship?

Katerina Linos (Professor of Law at UC Berkeley School of Law) – Qualitative Methods for Law Review Writing

Aziza Ahmed (Professor of Law at UC Irvine School of Law) – Risk and Rage: How Feminists Transformed the Law and Science of AIDS

Amy Kapczynski and Yochai Benkler –(Professor of Law at Yale; Professor of Law at Harvard) Law & Political Economy and the Question of Method

Jessica Silbey – (Boston University School of Law) Ethnography in Legal Scholarship

Roberto Tallarita – (Lecturer on Law, and Associate Director of the Program on Corporate Governance at Harvard) The Limits of Portfolio Primacy

Susan S. Silbey – (Leon and Anne Goldberg Professor of Humanities, Sociology and Anthropology at MIT) HELS with Susan Silbey: Analyzing Ethnographic Data and Producting New Theory

Cass R. Sunstein (University Professor at Harvard) – Optimal Sludge? The Price of Program Integrity

Scott L. Cummings (Professor of Legal Ethics and Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law) – The Making of Public Interest Lawyers

Elliot Ash (Assistant Professor of Law, Economics, and Data Science at ETH Zürich) – Gender Attitudes in the Judiciary: Evidence from U.S. Circuit Courts

Kathleen Thelen (Ford Professor of Political Science at MIT) – Employer Organization in the United States: Historical Legacies and the Long Shadow of the American Courts

Omer Kimhi (Associate Professor at Haifa University Law School) – Caught In a Circle of Debt – Consumer Bankruptcy Discharge and Its Aftereffects

Suresh Naidu (Professor in Economics and International and Public Affairs, Columbia School of International and Public Affairs) – Ideas Have Consequences: The Impact of Law and Economics on American Justice

Vardit Ravitsky (Full Professor at the Bioethics Program, School of Public Health, University of Montreal) – Empirical Bioethics: The Example of Research on Prenatal Testing

Johnnie Lotesta (Postdoctoral Democracy Fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School) – Opinion Crafting and the Making of U.S. Labor Law in the States

David Hagmann (Harvard Kennedy School) – The Agent-Selection Dilemma in Distributive Bargaining

Cass R. Sunstein (Harvard Law School) – Rear Visibility and Some Problems for Economic Analysis (with Particular Reference to Experience Goods)

Talia Gillis (Ph.D. Candidate and S.J.D. Candidate, Harvard Business School and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Law School) – False Dreams of Algorithmic Fairness: The Case of Credit Pricing

Tzachi Raz (Ph.D. Candidate in Economics at Harvard University) – There’s No Such Thing as Free Land: The Homestead Act and Economic Development

Crystal Yang (Harvard Law School) – Fear and the Safety Net: Evidence from Secure Communities

Adaner Usmani (Harvard Sociology) – The Origins of Mass Incarceration

Jim Greiner (Harvard Law School) – Randomized Control Trials in the Legal Profession

Talia Shiff (Postdoctoral Fellow, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and Department of Sociology, Harvard University) – Legal Standards and Moral Worth in Frontline Decision-Making: Evaluations of Victimization in US Asylum Determinations

Francesca Gino (Harvard Business School) – Rebel Talent

Joscha Legewie (Department of Sociology, Harvard University) – The Effects of Policing on Educational Outcomes and Health of Minority Youth

Ryan D. Enos (Department of Government, Harvard University) – The Space Between Us: Social Geography and Politics

Katerina Linos (Berkeley Law, University of California) – How Technology Transforms Refugee Law

Roie Hauser (Visiting Researcher at the Program on Corporate Governance, Harvard Law School) – Term Length and the Role of Independent Directors in Acquisitions

Anina Schwarzenbach (Fellow, National Security Program, the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School) – A Challenge to Legitimacy: Effects of Stop-and-Search Police Contacts on Young People’s Relations with the Police

Cass R. Sunstein (Harvard Law School) – Willingness to Pay to Use Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat, and More: A National Survey

Netta Barak-Corren (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) – The War Within

James Greiner & Holger Spamann (Harvard Law School) – Panel: Why Does the Legal Profession Resist Rigorous Empiricism?

Mila Versteeg (University of Virginia School of Law) (with Adam Chilton) – Do Constitutional Rights Make a Difference?

Susan S. Silbey (MIT Department of Anthropology) (with Patricia Ewick) – The Common Place of Law

Holger Spamann (Harvard Law School) – Empirical Legal Studies: What They Are and How NOT to Do Them

Arevik Avedian (Harvard Law School) – How to Read an Empirical Paper in Law

James Greiner (Harvard Law School) – Randomized Experiments in the Law

Robert MacCoun (Stanford Law School) – Coping with Rapidly Changing Standards and Practices in the Empirical Sciences (including ELS)

Mario Small (Harvard Department of Sociology) – Qualitative Research in the Big Data Era

Adam Chilton (University of Chicago Law School) – Trade Openness and Antitrust Law

Jennifer Lerner (Harvard Kennedy School and Department of Psychology) – Anger in Legal Decision Making

Sarah Dryden-Peterson (Harvard Graduate School of Education) – Respect, Reciprocity, and Relationships in Interview-Based Research

Charles Wang (Harvard Business School) – Natural Experiments and Court Rulings

Guhan Subramanian (Harvard Law School) – Determining Fair Value

James Greiner (Harvard Law School) – Randomized Control Trials and the Impact of Legal Aid

Maya Sen (Harvard Kennedy School) – The Political Ideologies of Law Clerks and their Judges

Daria Roithmayr (University of Southern California Law School) – The Dynamics of Police Violence

Crystal Yang (Harvard Law School) – Empiricism in the Service of Criminal Law and Theory

Oren Bar-Gill (Harvard Law School) – Is Empirical Legal Studies Changing Law and Economics?

Elizabeth Linos (Harvard Kennedy School; VP, Head of Research and Evaluation, North America, Behavioral Insights Team) – Behavioral Law and Economics in Action: BIT, BIG, and the policymaking of choice architecture

Meira Levinson (Harvard School of Education) – Justice in Schools: Qualitative Sociological Research and Normative Ethics in Schools

Howell Jackson (HLS) – Cost-Benefit Analysis

Michael Heise (Cornell Law School) – Quantitative Research in Law: An Introductory Workshop

Susan Silbey (MIT) – Interviews: An Introductory Workshop

Kevin Quinn (UC Berkeley) – Quantifying Judicial Decisions

Holger Spamman (Harvard Law School) – Comparative Empirical Research

James Greiner (Harvard Law School) – Randomized Controlled Trials in the Research of Legal Problems

Michael Heise (Cornell Law School) – Quantitative Research in Law

James Greiner (Harvard Law School) – A Typology of Empirical Methods in Law

David Wilkins (Harvard Law School) – Mixed Methods Work and the Legal Profession

Tom Tyler (Yale Law School) – Fairness and Policing

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Legal Solutions

How to Conduct Legal Research

September 21, 2021

Conducting legal research can challenge even the most skilled law practitioners.

As laws evolve across jurisdictions, it can be a difficult to keep pace with every legal development. Equally daunting is the ability to track and glean insights into stakeholder strategies and legal responses. Without quick and easy access to the right tools, the legal research upon which case strategy hinges may face cost, personnel, and litigation outcome challenges.

Bloomberg Law’s artificial intelligence-driven tools drastically reduce the time to perform legal research. Whether you seek quick answers to legal research definitions, or general guidance on the legal research process, Bloomberg Law’s Core Litigation Skills Toolkit has you covered.

What is legal research?

Legal research is the process of uncovering and understanding all of the legal precedents, laws, regulations, and other legal authorities that apply in a case and inform an attorney’s course of action.

Legal research often involves case law research, which is the practice of identifying and interpreting the most relevant cases concerning the topic at issue. Legal research can also involve a deep dive into a judge’s past rulings or opposing counsel’s record of success.

Research is not a process that has a finite start and end, but remains ongoing throughout every phase of a legal matter. It is a cornerstone of a litigator’s skills.

[Learn how our integrated, time-saving litigation research tools allow litigators to streamline their work and get answers quickly.]

Where do I begin my legal research?

Beginning your legal research will look different for each assignment. At the outset, ensure that you understand your goal by asking questions and taking careful notes. Ask about background case information, logistical issues such as filing deadlines, the client/matter number, and billing instructions.

It’s also important to consider how your legal research will be used. Is the research to be used for a pending motion? If you are helping with a motion for summary judgment, for example, your goal is to find cases that are in the same procedural posture as yours and come out favorably for your side (i.e., if your client is the one filing the motion, try to find cases where a motion for summary judgment was granted, not denied). Keep in mind the burden of proof for different kinds of motions.

Finally, but no less important, assess the key facts of the case. Who are the relevant parties? Where is the jurisdiction? Who is the judge? Note all case details that come to mind.

What if I’m new to the practice area or specific legal issue?

While conducting legal research, it is easy to go down rabbit holes. Resist the urge to start by reviewing individual cases, which may prove irrelevant. Start instead with secondary sources, which often provide a prevailing statement of the law for a specific topic. These sources will save time and orient you to the area of the law and key issues.

Litigation Practical Guidance provides the essentials including step-by-step guidance, expert legal analysis, and a preview of next steps. Source citations are included in all Practical Guidance, and you can filter Points of Law, Smart Code®, and court opinions searches to get the jurisdiction-specific cases or statutes you need.

Points of Law Bloomberg Law feature on a desktop computer screen

Searching across Points of Law will help to get your bearings on an issue before diving into reading the cases in full. Points of Law uses machine learning to identify key legal principles expressed in court opinions, which are easily searchable by keyword and jurisdiction. This tool helps you quickly find other cases that have expressed the same Point of Law, and directs you to related Points of Law that might be relevant to your research. It is automatically updated with the most recent opinions, saving you time and helping you quickly drill down to the relevant cases.

How do I respond to the opposing side’s brief?

Whether a brief is yours or that of the opposing party, Bloomberg Law’s Brief Analyzer is an essential component in the legal research process. It reduces the time spent analyzing a brief, identifying relevant authorities, and preparing a solid response.

To start, navigate to Brief Analyzer available from the Bloomberg Law homepage, within the Litigation Intelligence Center , or from Docket Key search results for briefs.

Bloomberg Law Brief Analyzer tool on litigation intelligence center

Simply upload the opposing side’s brief into the tool, and Brief Analyzer will generate a report of the cited authorities and arguments contained in the brief.

You can easily view a comparison with the brief and analysis side by side. It will also point you directly to relevant cases, Points of Law, and Practical Guidance to jump start your research.

Bloomberg Law Brief Analyzer citations and analysis feature

[ How to Write a Legal Brief – Learn how to shorten the legal research cycle and give your legal brief a competitive advantage.]

How to optimize your search.

Crafting searches is a critical skill when it comes to legal research. Although many legal research platforms, including Bloomberg Law, offer natural language searching, terms and connectors (also called Boolean) searching is still a vital legal research skill and should be used when searching across court opinions, dockets, Points of Law, and other primary and secondary sources.

When you conduct a natural language search, the search engine applies algorithms to rank your results. Why a certain case is ranked as it is may not be obvious. This makes it harder to interpret whether the search is giving you everything you need. It is also harder to efficiently and effectively manipulate your search terms to zero in on the results you want. Using Boolean searching gives you better control over your search and greater confidence in your results.

The good news? Bloomberg Law does not charge by the search for court opinion searches. If your initial search was much too broad or much too narrow, you do not have to worry about immediately running a new and improved search.

Follow these tips when beginning a search to ensure that you do not miss relevant materials:

Make sure you do not have typos in your search string.
Search the appropriate source or section of the research platform. It is possible to search only within a practice area, jurisdiction, secondary resource, or other grouping of materials.
Make sure you know which terms and connectors are utilized by the platform you are working on and what they mean – there is no uniform standard set of terms of connectors utilized by all platforms.
Include in your search all possible terms the court might use, or alternate ways the court may address an issue. It is best to group the alternatives together within a parenthetical, connected by OR between each term.
Consider including single and multiple character wildcards when relevant. Using a single character wildcard (an asterisk) and/or a multiple character wildcard (an exclamation point) helps you capture all word variations – even those you might not have envisioned.
Try using a tool that helps you find additional relevant case law. When you find relevant authority, use BCITE on Bloomberg Law to find all other cases and/or sources that cite back to that case. When in BCITE, click on the Citing Documents tab, and search by keyword to narrow the results. Alternatively, you can use the court’s language or ruling to search Points of Law and find other cases that addressed the same issue or reached the same ruling.

[Bloomberg Law subscribers can access a complete checklist of search term best practices . Not a subscriber? Request a Demo .]

How can legal research help with drafting or strategy?

Before drafting a motion or brief, search for examples of what firm lawyers filed with the court in similar cases. You can likely find recent examples in your firm’s internal document system or search Bloomberg Law’s dockets. If possible, look for things filed before the same judge so you can get a quick check on rules/procedures to be followed (and by the same partner when possible so you can get an idea of their style preferences).

Careful docket search provides a wealth of information about relevant cases, jurisdictions, judges, and opposing counsel. On Bloomberg Law, type “Dockets Search” in the Go bar or find the dockets search box in the Litigation Intelligence Center .

If you do not know the specific docket number and/or court, use the docket search functionality Docket Key . Select from any of 20 categories, including motions, briefs, and orders, across all 94 federal district courts, to pinpoint the exact filing of choice.

Bloomberg Law Dockets Search feature on a desktop computer screen

Dockets can also help you access lots of information to guide your case strategy. For example, if you are considering filing a particular type of motion, such as a sanctions motion, you can use dockets to help determine how frequently your judge grants sanctions motions. You can also use dockets to see how similar cases before your judge proceeded through discovery.

If you are researching expert witnesses, you can use dockets to help determine if the expert has been recently excluded from a case, or whether their opinion has been limited. If so, this will help you determine whether the expert is a good fit for your case.

Dockets are a powerful research tool that allow you to search across filings to support your argument. Stay apprised of docket updates with the “Create Alert” option on Bloomberg Law.

Dive deeper into competitive research.

For even more competitive research insights, dive into Bloomberg Law’s Litigation Analytics – this is available in the Litigation tab on the homepage. Data here helps attorneys develop litigation strategy, predict possible outcomes, and better advise clients.

To start, under Litigation Analytics , leverage the Attorney tab to view case history and preview legal strategies the opposition may practice against you. Also, within Litigation Analytics, use the Court tab to get aggregate motion and appeal outcome rates across all federal courts, with the option to run comparisons across jurisdictions, and filter by company, law firm, and attorney.

Use the Judge tab to glean insights from cited opinions, and past and current decisions by motion and appeal outcomes. Also view litigation analytics in the right rail of court opinions.

Docket search can also offer intel on your opponent. Has your opponent filed similar lawsuits or made similar arguments before? How did those cases pan out? You can learn a lot about an opponent from past appearances in court.

How do I validate case law citations?

Checking the status of case law is essential in legal research. Rely on Bloomberg Law’s proprietary citator, BCITE. This time-saving tool lets you know if a case is still good law.

Under each court opinion, simply look to the right rail. There, you will see a thumbnail icon for “BCITE Analysis.” Click on the icon, and you will be provided quick links to direct history (opinions that affect or are affected by the outcome of the case at issue); case analysis (citing cases, with filter and search options), table of authorities, and citing documents.

How should I use technology to improve my legal research?

A significant benefit of digital research platforms and analytics is increased efficiency. Modern legal research technology helps attorneys sift through thousands of cases quickly and comprehensively. These products can also help aggregate or summarize data in a way that is more useful and make associations instantaneously.

For example, before litigation analytics were common, a partner may have asked a junior associate to find all summary judgment motions ruled on by a specific judge to determine how often that judge grants or denies them. The attorney could have done so by manually searching over PACER and/or by searching through court opinions, but that would take a long time. Now, Litigation Analytics can aggregate that data and provide an answer in seconds. Understanding that such products exist can be a game changer. Automating parts of the research process frees up time and effort for other activities that benefit the client and makes legal research and writing more efficient.

[Read our article: Six ways legal technology aids your litigation workflow .]

Tools like Points of Law , dockets and Brief Analyzer can also increase efficiency, especially when narrowing your research to confirm that you found everything on point. In the past, attorneys had to spend many hours (and lots of money) running multiple court opinion searches to ensure they did not miss a case on point. Now, there are tools that can dramatically speed up that process. For example, running a search over Points of Law can immediately direct you to other cases that discuss that same legal principle.

However, it’s important to remember that digital research and analytical tools should be seen as enhancing the legal research experience, not displacing the review, analysis, and judgment of an attorney. An attorney uses his or her knowledge of their client, the facts, the precedent, expert opinions, and his or her own experiences to predict the likely result in a given matter. Digital research products enhance this process by providing more data on a wider array of variables so that an attorney can take even more information into consideration.

[Get all your questions answered, request a Bloomberg Law demo , and more.]

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Lewis & Clark Law School
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Legal Research Basics
Find a Paper Topic

Legal Research Basics: Find a Paper Topic

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Current Awareness Tools
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Current Awareness Services in Print

Some services providing analysis of current development in the field and reports of recently decided cases are available in print in the Law Library. Searching the catalog for these tools can be difficult at times. Consider using “reporter” and your legal topic as a keyword search. Other words that may prove useful include “weekly,” “alert,” “current,” “news,” “analysis,” or “newspaper” and then use one of these in conjunction with “law” or “legal.”

Social Media Tools for Current Awareness

Social media is another great place to discover and keep up on the latest legal issues.

There are a number of law blogs ("blawgs") in specialized subject areas written by attorneys, professors, judges, students, and other legal specialists. Use the links below to find a blog of an interest.

LexBlog Subscribe to email newsletters for any of its collections by topic
ABA Journal Blawg Directory
BlawgSearch
Law Professor Blogs Network

Finding a Paper Topic

Finding a topic is the first and often the most vexing challenge for law students writing a paper, note or comment for a class or law review. Choosing a paper topic that is neither too broad nor too narrow, both pertinent and topical, and not over nor under written about can be an exercise in frustration. Here we present a number of strategies to help you find the right topic for your law school paper.

Ready to get started? Check out the resources on this page, as well as the resources on the Finding & Researching Your Paper Topic guide, which includes slides from a recent workshop.

Current Awareness Tools Online

Practicing attorneys use current awareness tools to stay up-to-date with breaking news, statutory and regulatory changes and appellate court opinions in their field of practice. You should learn how to use these tools in law school.

American Society of International Law Insights ASIL Insights provides brief, balanced accounts of the international law issues raised by newsworthy late-breaking events.
Circuit Split Roundup Monthly circuit splits as reported in U.S. Law Week. Log in with your L&C Law School Bloomberg Law account. Don't have one? Contact the Reference Desk at [email protected]. You will search the US Law Week for "circuit splits reported".
E&E News This link opens in a new window E&E News is a subscription-based news organization that reports on essential energy and environment issues in five daily publications: E&E Daily, Climatewire, Energywire, Greenwire, and E&E News PM.
Environmental Law Reporter (ELR) This link opens in a new window Find environmental law news and analysis; the ELR Update; laws & regulations; federal, state & international materials; briefs & pleadings. For subscriber access to the Guidance & Policy Documents section, ask a law librarian for username and password.
In Focus This link opens in a new window Browse Bloomberg's editorially curated pages to find the latest news, commentary, litigation filings, regulatory developments, and practice tools on emerging issues and other topics of note to legal practitioners. Log in with your Bloomberg Law username and password. Don't have one? Ask at the reference desk.
Law360 This link opens in a new window Login to with your Lexis account to access Law360.com and to sign up for newsletters: 1. Log into Lexis as usual at https://plus.lexis.com/ 2. Click on the 9-dot grid up top, then select Law 360
LawMemo This link opens in a new window LawMemo provides labor and employment appellate law updates. Sign-up for your personal law school account and receive the Employment Law Memo, the NLRB Law Memo and the Arbitration Law Memo.
Law Commons (bepress Digital Commons) Working papers and pre-prints from scholars and professionals at top law schools around the world, organized by subject or search.
Portland Business Journal This link opens in a new window Unlimited and full-text access to the Portland Business Journal online. For off-campus access, go to https://bit.ly/2sY3Fnx and sign into your Primo account to view the login information. You must login with these credentials to view full-text articles from off campus.
SSRN Legal Scholarship Network This link opens in a new window Working papers related to law, economics, and business in 61 different subject areas. Part of the larger Social Science Research Network (SSRN).
Supreme Court Current Awareness Tools (L&C Law) SCOTUSblog, Supreme Court Today, U.S. Law Week, and more.
Law.com (Bloomberg Law) Access law.com articles and over three dozen ALM legal news titles on Bloomberg Law.
National Law Journal This link opens in a new window NLJ and other ALM publications are available through your Lexis account. NLJ covers Federal and state court litigation; the U.S. Supreme Court; legislative issues; verdicts; and more.

Writing Advice

Submission of Law Student Articles for Publication Suggestions for law students who want to publish their law school research papers. Contains a chart of the policies of 194 law reviews.

Research Help

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Hours: Mon-Fri, 11am -3pm 503-768-6688 [email protected] Reference Hours

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200 Legal Research Paper Topics to Keep You Stay Ahead of the Curve

Legal research papers are scholarly documents written by law students, legal scholars, or professionals in the legal field. They involve in-depth analysis, interpretation, and discussion of legal issueslegal, principles, and concepts. Therefore, picking up a good topic plays a significant role in the paper’s success, which a professional paper writing service provider would agree with! Speaking of which, we have curated a list of 200 trending topics to help you craft an impressive paper. So, let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

Unique Legal Research Paper Topics to Impress Your Professor

Looking to make a memorable impression on your professor with your legal research paper? Check out these unique and intriguing legal research paper topics that will demonstrate your critical thinking skills and set your work apart.

Criminal Law Research Paper Topics

Choosing a topic from this list will help you gain a comprehensive understanding of various issues in criminal law and their implications in contemporary society. Here you go:

Means of execution in genetic fraud
Crime classification by type
Differences between atypicality and absence of the type
What are the degrees that guilt can present?
General principles of typicity
Differences between putative crime and impossible crime
Classification of a passive subject in criminal matters
Explanation and study of the budgets for the crime
Typicity and atypicality in intentional crimes
Study of the causes of crime
Elements of the crime and its negative aspect and positive aspect
Forgiveness of the offended party in cases of negligent crimes
Responsibility and scope in the crime of injury and manslaughter in the traffic of vehicles
Family violence – How it can be prevented and what factors influence its emergence
The right to refrain from testifying that witnesses of the accused have during the criminal process

Unique Legal Research Paper Topics Related to Human Rights

This collection of research paper topics will take you on an intellectual voyage, unraveling complex issues such as the universality of human rights and more. Use the following topics to write a legal research paper outline.

Conflicts presented before cultural rights
Human Rights for minor boys and Girls
Importance of the implementation of shelters for homeless people
Has the intervention of mass surveillance contributed to the decrease in crime?
Forced disappearances: A sad reality that plagues today
Alternatives for the eradication of Discrimination against women
Urbanization in human rights
The intervention of human rights regarding corporate and globalization
Privacy rights today
Ways to combat cases of torture
The Role of human rights around education
How do human rights protect vulnerable groups such as disabled people?
The illegal arms trade
Human Rights and Alternatives to eradicate cases of violent extremism
Covid-19 and the increase in violence against women today
The intervention of international solidarity in human rights
The Role of international human rights treaties in promoting global justice
The impact of social media on freedom of expression and privacy rights
Addressing systemic racism and Discrimination in criminal justice systems
Human rights implications of counter-terrorism Measures and national security policies
The Protection of Refugees’ Rights in the Context of forced displacement
Gender equality and the fight against gender-based violence
The Rights of indigenous peoples and the Preservation of their cultural heritage
Ensuring economic, social, and cultural rights in times of economic crises
The Role of international organizations in Promoting and enforcing human rights
Human rights considerations in the Context of armed conflicts and humanitarian crises
The Intersection of human rights and Environmental Protection
Protecting the rights of vulnerable groups, including children, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals
Transitional justice mechanisms and human rights accountability
The Right to Education and Its Role in empowering marginalized communities
Promoting religious freedom and combating religious Discrimination

Interesting Legal Research Paper Topics Related to Tax Law

Pick a research topic from this list and venture into the dynamic world of Tax Law, where fiscal complexities, legislative dynamics, and economic considerations intersect. Here’s the list:

Functioning of tax revenues: evolution and international comparison
Fiscal benefits ignored by the general population
Instances of individuals before the Internal Revenue Service
Forms of extinction of taxes and their economic repercussions
Tax evasion and the ineffectiveness of the English authorities for its prevention.
legal security of the taxpayer in the exercise of their tax obligations
Tax discrepancy and timely detection by the tax authority in India.
Means of challenge in the tax system.
How can international tax law influence, eliminate, and avoid double taxation?
The cost of the fiscal guarantee
Mortgage Credit and its legal nature
Tax disadvantages of the business activities regime
Precautionary embargo, is it unconstitutional?
Inefficiency in the administrative acts of the public finance authorities
The importance of tax law in the balance of the economy
Social impact of reforms
The ineffectiveness of the resource for revocation of tax
Tax system and the execution of tax policies and their efficiency
The functioning of the Withholding Tax Administration
Taxes and their impact on the general state budget
Variants of tax revenue

Good Legal Research Topics

Get a chance to research the legalities of real estate with these carefully-picked topics for an amazing legal research project:

Value generation through risk management
Business plan model of a real estate housing project
Use of natural resources in multi-family housing
Social housing real estate project
Feasibility Proposal for a Real Estate Project
Proposal for low-cost housing modules
Proposal for improvement in the finishing phase for the supply and installation
Analyzing the legal implications of smart contracts in real estate transactions.
Exploring the regulatory challenges of short-term rental platforms (e.g., Airbnb) in the Context of real estate law.
The impact of sustainable development practices on real estate law and regulations.
Examining the legal frameworks for real estate crowdfunding and its implications for investors and developers.
The Role of real estate law in addressing affordable housing and housing inequality.
Exploring legal mechanisms for resolving disputes in real estate transactions.
Analyzing the legal implications of blockchain technology in real estate transactions and land registries.
The legal considerations and challenges of real estate development projects in environmentally sensitive areas.
The legal aspects of real estate financing, including mortgage law and foreclosure processes.
Examining the Role of zoning regulations and land use planning in real estate development.
Legal issues surrounding property rights and ownership in intellectual property and digital assets.
The legal responsibilities and liabilities of real estate agents and brokers.
Analyzing the legal implications of real estate investment trusts (REITs) in the Context of real estate law.
The legal considerations of real estate transactions involving international parties and cross-border investments.
Exploring the legal challenges and opportunities of real estate developments in the Context of urbanization and smart cities.

New Topics for Legal Research

Researching one of these topics will help you explore the science of product liability, medical malpractice and more. Here you go:

The role of negligence in personal injury claims: Comparative analysis of different legal systems.
Assessing the effectiveness of tort reform in personal injury cases.
The impact of social media on personal injury litigation and privacy rights.
Analyzing the legal framework for product liability in personal injury cases.
The role of insurance companies in personal injury claims: An examination of coverage issues and settlement practices.
The legal implications of autonomous vehicles in personal injury cases.
The role of expert witnesses in personal injury litigation: Challenges and best practices.
Analyzing the impact of statutory limitations on personal injury claims.
The legal and ethical considerations in mass tort litigation involving personal injuries.
Analyzing the role of punitive damages in personal injury cases: Deterrence versus compensation.
The intersection of personal injury law and medical malpractice: Challenges in establishing liability.
The impact of pre-existing conditions on personal injury claims: Causation and damages assessment.
The legal framework for premises liability in personal injury cases.
Analyzing the use of surveillance evidence in personal injury litigation: Privacy concerns and admissibility.
The role of mental health issues in personal injury claims: Challenges in proving and quantifying damages.
Analyzing the legal remedies available to victims of workplace accidents and occupational injuries.
The legal and ethical implications of third-party litigation funding in personal injury cases.
Analyzing the impact of jury bias and prejudice on personal injury verdicts.
The role of alternative dispute resolution methods in resolving personal injury claims.
Assessing the future of personal injury law in light of emerging technologies and societal changes.

Military Law Research Paper Topics

These topics will let you delve deep into understanding military law as you research. Here’s the list:

The legal framework for the use of autonomous weapons systems in armed conflict.
The application of international humanitarian law to non-state armed groups.
Analyzing the legal and ethical challenges of cyber warfare under international law.
The legal implications of targeted killings and drone warfare in military operations.
The role of military commissions in prosecuting and trying war criminals.
The legal framework for the protection of cultural property during armed conflict.
Analyzing the legality of preemptive strikes and anticipatory self-defense under international law.
The legal and ethical considerations in the use of private military contractors in armed conflict.
The legal obligations of states in providing assistance and support to victims of armed conflict.
The application of international human rights law in military operations and occupations.
Analyzing the legal and moral implications of torture and interrogation techniques in military contexts.
The legal framework for the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
The role of military justice systems in ensuring accountability and discipline within the armed forces.
Analyzing the legal challenges of prosecuting sexual violence crimes in military contexts.
The legal implications of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and genetic engineering, in military operations.
The legal obligations and challenges in protecting and assisting refugees and internally displaced persons in armed conflict.
The legal framework for the use of force in peacekeeping operations and humanitarian interventions.
The legal and ethical considerations in military surveillance and intelligence gathering activities.
Analyzing the legal obligations and challenges of military occupations under international law.

Labor Law Legal Research Topics

Let’s dive into the depths of Civil Rights Law and get to know its complexities, struggles, and successes in the fight for fair treatment and social justice. Here’s the list of hot topics for your legal research project:

Operation of the holiday period
What to do if your labor rights have been violated?
What to do if my schedule needs to be respected?
What is the salary?
At what point does the worker lose the right to compensation?
Right to severance pay for voluntary dismissal
What actions to take in case of suffering an unjustified dismissal?
What actions to take in case of suffering an accident at work?
Consequences of an occupational accident
Pre and postnatal rest for pregnant workers
Labor benefits when filing a dismissal or resignation from the job
The impact of employment opportunities over the years
Gender Equality in the Workplace
What does the National Labor Law stipulate?
Right to compensation after resigning
Rights of the worker when resigning from his job
Legal consequences suffered after dismissal
Covid-19 and its impact on the work environment
What is labor law, and what is it responsible for?
Background of labor law
History of labor law, how did it happen?
Importance of labor law
The emergence of collective law as a defender of social groups
What is labor procedural law, and what are its principles?
What is the acquired labor right, and what does it stipulate?
Objectives of labor law
Parts of labor law

International Law Research Paper Topics

Studying and researching international law is an interesting activity for many researchers. Check out the list below:

The teaching of public international law
Extradition treaties and their alleged ineffectiveness
The Free Trade Agreement, in the light of international law
Concept of international responsibility of the State, according to Hans Kelsen
Aspects of Reparation in international law
Historiography and the study of the immediate origins of the World wars
Palestine: Independence of a State
Fundamental human rights
The right to privacy and the right to freedom of expression
Rights of Journalists
Collective International Security and the Persian Gulf Crisis
Nature of human rights and their validity in customary international law
The right to asylum in the international legal system
Notes on the so-called international law of development
Human Rights, the advisory opinion
Specificity of international legal principles in an order
The current State of international jurisdiction

Legal Topics for Research Paper Related to Intellectual Property

You may already know that unauthorized use of paid software is a crime. Get to know more of such facts by researching a topic from this list:

Related rights and internet
Technologies against unauthorized copying
The Jurisdiction Problem
E-commerce copyright
Conclusions Bibliography
Approach to intellectual property
Intellectual property and new information technologies
Copyright and the Internet
The network and the right to the integrity of the work
Playback and communication
The network and originality of the works
Protection and online programs
Internet pages
Second-use patents within the general regime of patent law

Legal Research Paper Format for Your Perfect Topics

Apply the following format and present your ideas in a way that reflects perfection and wins your position in academics.

Use Times New Roman or similar font
Add footnotes,page numbers,one inch margin on all sides,and use headings / subheadings.
Page numbers should be added in the footer.

We hope you have picked a topic or two for your legal research paper. As you explore these topics, you’ll have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge, stay updated on emerging trends, and make meaningful contributions to the law. Still, if you need help picking up legal research paper topics or help in writing the assignment , feel free to consult our writers .

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Human Rights Law Research Paper Topics

This page presents a comprehensive guide on human rights law research paper topics tailored for law students assigned with research paper tasks. The page aims to provide comprehensive guidance and resources to students studying law and assigned with research paper tasks in the field of human rights law. It presents a diverse range of research paper topics related to human rights law, covering ten distinct categories, each containing ten topics for exploration. Furthermore, the page includes an in-depth article on human rights law, tips on selecting compelling human rights law research paper topics, and guidelines for writing a successful research paper. The page also highlights the custom writing services offered by iResearchNet, tailored to meet students’ academic needs and requirements in the domain of human rights law.

100 Human Rights Law Research Paper Topics

In the realm of human rights law, the depth and breadth of research topics are vast, reflecting the complexities of the field and its dynamic nature. This comprehensive list of human rights law research paper topics spans ten categories, each presenting ten engaging and thought-provoking subjects for exploration. From international perspectives to domestic applications, these topics cover various dimensions of human rights law, shedding light on critical issues, ongoing challenges, and evolving debates. Whether students are interested in human rights advocacy, humanitarian law, discrimination, or constitutional protections, this list aims to inspire and equip them with the right tools to embark on their research journey.

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Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech Laws: Striking a Balance
The Right to Privacy in the Digital Age: Challenges and Protections
Religious Freedom and the Clash of Beliefs in Pluralistic Societies
LGBTQ+ Rights and the Pursuit of Equality: Legal Progress and Challenges
Racial Profiling and Discrimination: Addressing Systemic Biases
Women’s Rights and Gender Equality: Empowerment and Legal Reforms
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Inclusion and Accessibility
Juvenile Justice and Youth Rights: Restorative Approaches
The Right to Education: Ensuring Access and Quality
Combating Human Trafficking: Legal Frameworks and Anti-Trafficking Efforts
Universal Human Rights Declarations and International Enforcement
The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Promoting Human Rights
The United Nations Human Rights Council: Achievements and Limitations
International Criminal Court and the Pursuit of Accountability for Atrocities
The Impact of Customary International Law on Human Rights Norms
Regional Human Rights Systems: Advancing Rights Protection in Specific Areas
The Intersection of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law
Diplomacy and Human Rights: Balancing National Interests and Global Responsibilities
Economic Sanctions and Human Rights: Assessing Their Effectiveness and Consequences
The Responsibility to Protect: Sovereignty and Humanitarian Interventions
Income Inequality and Human Rights: Addressing Economic Disparities
Access to Healthcare as a Human Right: Equity and Universal Coverage
Housing Rights and Homelessness: Legal Strategies for Housing Security
Environmental Justice and Human Rights: Protecting Vulnerable Communities
Indigenous Rights and Land Restitution: Recognizing Past Injustices
The Impact of Armed Conflicts on Human Rights and Refugee Crisis
Discrimination and Marginalization of Minority Groups: Legal Responses
Labor Rights and Worker Protections: Fair Employment Practices
Human Rights and Access to Justice: Overcoming Barriers to Legal Remedies
Rights of Migrants and Refugees: Challenges in Migration Policies
Capital Punishment and Human Rights: Abolition and Alternatives
The Right to a Fair Trial: Legal Safeguards and Due Process
Prison Conditions and Human Rights: Rehabilitation vs. Punishment
Police Accountability and Use of Force: Balancing Public Safety and Rights
Juvenile Justice Reform: Rethinking Punishment for Young Offenders
Human Rights Implications of Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Measures
Counterterrorism Laws and Civil Liberties: Balancing Security and Rights
The Rights of Victims and Witness Protection in Criminal Proceedings
Criminalization of Drug Use and Human Rights: Health Approaches vs. Punitive Measures
Human Rights and the Right to Legal Representation: Ensuring Access to Counsel
Reproductive Rights and Women’s Health: Legal Battles and Access to Care
Mental Health Law and Human Rights: Balancing Autonomy and Protection
Access to Medicines and Patent Rights: Global Health Equity
Medical Ethics and Human Rights: Informed Consent and Research Ethics
LGBTQ+ Health Rights and Healthcare Disparities: Advocacy and Legal Reforms
Disability Rights and Healthcare Accessibility: Accommodations and Inclusion
The Right to Die with Dignity: Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Laws
Human Rights Implications of COVID-19 Pandemic Response: Balancing Public Health and Liberties
Substance Use and Harm Reduction: Public Health Approaches and Legal Barriers
Health Rights of Refugees and Displaced Persons: Challenges in Providing Care
Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts: Legal Frameworks and Challenges
The Right to Seek Asylum: International Refugee Law and Responsibilities
War Crimes and International Justice: The Role of International Criminal Tribunals
Human Rights Implications of Autonomous Weapons and Military Technologies
The Role of Humanitarian Organizations in Conflict Zones: Safety and Access
The Responsibility to Protect: Preventing Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity
Human Rights and Internally Displaced Persons: Legal Recognition and Protections
The Impact of Armed Conflicts on Children’s Rights: Child Soldiers and Protection Measures
Gender-Based Violence in Armed Conflicts: Legal Responses and Accountability
Humanitarian Interventions and the Sovereignty Debate: Balancing Global Responsibility and Non-Interference
The Right to a Healthy Environment: Environmental Protections and Human Rights
Climate Change and Human Rights: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
Indigenous Rights and Environmental Conservation: Balancing Preservation and Development
Environmental Justice and Communities of Color: Overcoming Environmental Racism
The Impact of Extractive Industries on Human Rights and Environmental Preservation
Biodiversity Conservation and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights: Conflict and Collaboration
The Right to Water and Sanitation: Access and Equity in Water Management
Land Rights and Environmental Protection: Balancing Development and Conservation
Environmental Impact Assessments and Human Rights: Ensuring Accountability and Participation
The Role of the International Court of Justice in Protecting Human Rights
The United Nations Human Rights Council and its Effectiveness in Promoting Rights
Human Rights in Regional Organizations: The European Court of Human Rights
The Role of International NGOs in Monitoring and Advocating for Human Rights
International Human Rights Mechanisms and State Compliance: Challenges and Achievements
The Role of Human Rights in International Trade Agreements and Economic Cooperation
Human Rights in Armed Conflict: The Geneva Conventions and Customary International Law
International Criminal Law and Prosecution of Human Rights Violations
The Role of the United Nations in Protecting Children’s Rights
Human Rights and Peacekeeping Operations: Balancing Security and Rights
Digital Privacy and Human Rights: Challenges in the Age of Big Data
The Right to Freedom of Expression in the Digital Era: Censorship and Online Speech
Human Rights Implications of Artificial Intelligence and Automation
Surveillance and Human Rights: Balancing Security and Privacy
The Right to Internet Access as a Human Right: Universal Connectivity and Digital Equity
Online Harassment and Cyberbullying: Legal Protections and Remedies
Data Protection and Human Rights: Ensuring Personal Information Security
Intellectual Property Rights and Access to Knowledge: Copyright and Cultural Rights
The Right to Information and Government Transparency: Open Data and Accountability
The Use of Drones in Armed Conflicts: Ethical and Legal Implications
The Role of Human Rights Activism in Advancing Social Change
The Intersectionality of Human Rights: Addressing Multiple Forms of Discrimination
Indigenous Rights Movements and Land Justice: Advocacy and Legal Strategies
The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: Progress and Challenges in the Fight for Equality
Women’s Rights Movements and Legal Reforms: Empowerment and Gender Equality
Disability Rights Advocacy and the Fight for Inclusion and Accessibility
Youth-Led Movements for Climate Justice and Environmental Rights
The Black Lives Matter Movement and Police Accountability: Demanding Justice and Reform
Human Rights and Migrant Rights Movements: Standing for Justice and Dignity
Human Rights and Corporate Accountability: Advocating for Corporate Social Responsibility

The field of human rights law presents a dynamic landscape with a plethora of research paper topics that delve into critical social, political, and ethical issues. The ten categories presented here offer students a panoramic view of the diverse and interrelated areas within human rights law. As they embark on their research endeavors, students have the opportunity to explore the complexities and implications of human rights from various perspectives, both nationally and globally. The ever-evolving nature of human rights law ensures that this field will continue to inspire and challenge scholars, advocates, and policymakers in their pursuit of justice, equality, and human dignity. Whether it is advocating for marginalized communities, addressing humanitarian crises, or examining the intersection of technology and human rights, these topics will empower students to contribute meaningfully to the discourse and advancement of human rights principles worldwide. The journey of human rights research is both transformative and empowering, offering the potential to effect positive change in the lives of millions.

Human Rights Law: Exploring the Range of Topics

Human rights law is a dynamic and critical field that addresses the fundamental rights and freedoms inherent to all human beings. Rooted in the belief in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, human rights law seeks to protect and promote these rights, ensuring that all people can live in equality, freedom, and peace. As a multidimensional area of study, human rights law offers a wide range of research paper topics that delve into the complexities of international and domestic legal frameworks, the intersections between human rights and other fields of law, and the evolving challenges in safeguarding human rights in an ever-changing world.

The Universality and Cultural Relativism of Human Rights : The concept of human rights raises intriguing questions about the universality of rights versus the cultural relativism of values. Research papers in this category may explore the tensions between universal human rights norms and cultural practices, analyzing how cultural contexts can impact the interpretation and implementation of human rights.
Human Rights and Armed Conflicts : Armed conflicts present severe challenges to human rights, with civilian populations often suffering the most. Human rights law research paper topics in this area may focus on the protection of human rights during armed conflicts, including issues of war crimes, humanitarian law, and the role of international institutions in ensuring accountability for human rights violations.
Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights : Economic, social, and cultural rights are essential components of human rights law, emphasizing access to education, healthcare, housing, and social security. Research papers may analyze the legal frameworks and challenges in implementing these rights, especially in the context of poverty, inequality, and socio-economic development.
Human Rights and Refugees : The plight of refugees and asylum seekers is a pressing human rights issue worldwide. Research topics in this area may examine the legal protections and challenges faced by refugees, the role of international organizations in supporting displaced populations, and the impacts of immigration policies on human rights.
Human Rights and Discrimination : Discrimination on various grounds, such as race, gender, religion, and disability, continues to be a significant human rights concern. Research papers may explore legal frameworks and strategies to combat discrimination, including the role of affirmative action, equality laws, and anti-discrimination policies.
Freedom of Expression and Media Rights : Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of human rights law, and the media plays a crucial role in fostering democracy and accountability. Research topics in this category may delve into issues of media freedom, censorship, and the balance between free speech and hate speech.
Human Rights and Technology : Advancements in technology bring both opportunities and challenges to human rights protection. Research papers in this area may examine issues such as digital privacy, surveillance, artificial intelligence, and the right to access information in the digital age.
Human Rights and Health : Health is intricately linked to human rights, as access to healthcare is a fundamental right. Research topics may explore the right to health and the challenges in ensuring equitable access to healthcare services, especially in vulnerable populations.
Gender and Human Rights : Gender equality is a central theme in human rights law, and research papers in this category may focus on women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and the intersections between gender and other human rights issues.
Human Rights and Business : The impact of business practices on human rights has become a significant area of concern. Research topics may explore corporate social responsibility, business and human rights initiatives, and the role of businesses in upholding human rights standards.

The realm of human rights law is vast and multifaceted, covering a wide array of topics and issues that demand critical examination and research. From armed conflicts to economic disparities, from refugees’ rights to media freedom, and from technology to health, the field of human rights law offers a rich landscape for exploration and advocacy. As students and scholars delve into these research paper topics, they engage in crucial discussions on human rights protection, social justice, and the promotion of dignity and equality for all. By striving for a deeper understanding of human rights and their complexities, we contribute to creating a more just, compassionate, and rights-respecting world. At iResearchNet, we are committed to supporting students in their academic pursuits by providing expert assistance and custom research paper writing services that adhere to the highest standards of quality and excellence. Together, let us explore the frontiers of human rights law and work towards a future where human rights are upheld and protected for every individual, without exception.

How to Choose a Human Rights Law Topic

Choosing a compelling and relevant research paper topic is a crucial step in the academic journey of students studying human rights law. As a multifaceted and evolving field, human rights law offers a vast array of topics to explore, each with its unique challenges and opportunities. However, the abundance of choices can also be overwhelming, leaving students unsure of where to begin. In this section, we will provide valuable insights and practical tips on how to select the most suitable and engaging human rights law research paper topics.

Identify Your Interests and Passions : The first step in choosing a research paper topic is to reflect on your personal interests and passions within the field of human rights law. What particular human rights issues resonate with you the most? Are you drawn to topics related to gender equality, access to healthcare, refugees’ rights, or freedom of expression? Identifying your interests will not only make the research process more enjoyable but also enable you to invest the necessary time and effort into producing a compelling and meaningful paper.
Conduct Preliminary Research : Before finalizing a research paper topic, it is essential to conduct preliminary research to gain a broader understanding of the current state of knowledge in the chosen area. Review academic journals, books, policy papers, and reports related to your potential topics. This preliminary research will not only help you refine your topic but also identify any gaps in the existing literature that you could address in your research.
Consider the Scope and Feasibility : While it may be tempting to choose a broad and ambitious topic, it is essential to consider the scope and feasibility of your research. A topic that is too broad may lack focus, while a topic that is too narrow may limit your ability to find sufficient research material. Strike a balance between a topic that is comprehensive enough to explore in-depth and one that is manageable within the scope of your research project.
Examine Current Debates and Controversies : Human rights law is often marked by ongoing debates and controversies surrounding certain issues. Exploring topics that are currently subject to heated discussions allows you to contribute to these debates and engage with cutting-edge research. Consider topics related to emerging challenges in human rights protection, the implications of new technologies on human rights, or the impact of global events on human rights law.
Consult with Professors and Peers : Seek guidance and feedback from your professors, advisors, and peers during the topic selection process. Discussing your ideas with knowledgeable individuals can provide valuable insights and help you refine your research focus. They can also suggest additional resources and research directions that you may not have considered.
Choose a Researchable and Original Topic : Select a research paper topic that is not only interesting but also researchable and original. Ensure that there is a sufficient amount of credible sources and data available for your chosen topic. Additionally, strive to bring a unique perspective or approach to your research to contribute new insights to the field of human rights law.
Stay Updated on Current Events : Human rights issues are dynamic and influenced by current events and global developments. Keep yourself updated on recent news, legal developments, and policy changes related to human rights. Monitoring current events will help you identify timely and relevant research paper topics that address real-world challenges.
Consider the Impact and Real-World Relevance : Choose a research paper topic that has practical significance and real-world relevance. Human rights law is not merely an academic exercise; it has a direct impact on the lives of individuals and communities worldwide. Consider topics that have the potential to contribute to positive change, promote human rights awareness, or address pressing human rights challenges.
Be Open to Flexibility and Adaptation : As you delve deeper into your research, be open to adapting and refining your research paper topic based on new insights and findings. Sometimes, the direction of your research may evolve, and being flexible in your approach allows you to produce a more nuanced and comprehensive paper.
Seek Inspiration from iResearchNet : At iResearchNet, we understand the significance of choosing the right research paper topic. Our team of expert writers and researchers is well-versed in various areas of human rights law and can provide valuable insights and inspiration to help you select the perfect topic for your research paper. With our assistance, you can embark on a journey of exploration and discovery, delving into the complexities and nuances of human rights law while making a meaningful contribution to the field.

Selecting a research paper topic in human rights law requires careful consideration and thoughtful reflection. By identifying your interests, conducting preliminary research, and staying updated on current events, you can choose a topic that is not only academically stimulating but also relevant and impactful. At iResearchNet, we are committed to supporting students in their academic pursuits by offering expert guidance and custom research paper writing services. Together, let us embark on a journey of academic excellence and advocacy, working towards a world where human rights are upheld and protected for all.

How to Write a Human Rights Law Research Paper

Writing a research paper in the field of human rights law requires careful planning, thorough research, and a clear understanding of the subject matter. As you embark on this academic endeavor, you will encounter various challenges and opportunities to delve deep into the complexities of human rights issues. In this section, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to write a compelling and impactful human rights law research paper.

Understand the Research Question : The first step in writing a research paper is to understand and define your research question. Your research question should be clear, focused, and specific, addressing a particular aspect of human rights law. It should guide your research and provide a framework for your paper.
Conduct In-Depth Research : Human rights law is a multidisciplinary field that draws on legal principles, international treaties, ethical considerations, and socio-political aspects. To write an authoritative research paper, conduct in-depth research from a variety of credible sources, including academic journals, legal databases, government publications, and reputable websites. Take notes and organize your findings to support your arguments effectively.
Create an Outline : Organize your research and ideas by creating a well-structured outline for your research paper. An outline helps you maintain a logical flow of information, ensuring that your paper is cohesive and coherent. Divide your paper into sections and subsections, each addressing a specific aspect of your research question.
Develop a Strong Thesis Statement : Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that summarizes the main argument of your research paper. Your thesis statement should convey the purpose of your paper and guide readers on what to expect throughout the document.
Introduction : Begin your research paper with an engaging introduction that provides background information on the human rights issue you are addressing. Introduce the significance of the topic, explain its relevance in the context of human rights law, and present your thesis statement.
Literature Review : Incorporate a literature review section in your research paper to discuss the existing body of knowledge on the topic. Analyze and critically evaluate relevant studies, theories, and legal cases related to your research question. Identify any gaps or inconsistencies in the literature that your research aims to address.
Methodology : If your research paper involves empirical research or data analysis, outline your methodology in this section. Describe the research design, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques you used to obtain results. Explain how your chosen methodology aligns with your research question and contributes to the overall understanding of the human rights issue.
Analysis and Findings : Present your research findings and analyze the data in the context of your research question. Use evidence and examples from your research to support your arguments. Analyze the implications of your findings on the human rights issue and its potential impact on policies, laws, or practices.
Discussion : In the discussion section, interpret your research findings and relate them to the existing body of knowledge. Address any limitations or challenges encountered during your research and suggest avenues for further exploration.
Conclusion : Summarize the key points of your research paper in the conclusion section. Restate your thesis statement and highlight the main findings of your study. Discuss the implications of your research on human rights law and suggest potential areas for future research.
Citations and Referencing : Properly cite all the sources used in your research paper following the required citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Accurate referencing is essential to give credit to the original authors and avoid plagiarism.
Proofreading and Editing : Before submitting your research paper, thoroughly proofread and edit it to eliminate any grammatical errors, typos, or inconsistencies. Ensure that your paper adheres to the formatting and style guidelines provided by your instructor or academic institution.

Writing a human rights law research paper is a rewarding and intellectually stimulating experience. By understanding your research question, conducting in-depth research, and organizing your paper effectively, you can produce a compelling and impactful piece of academic work. Remember to stay focused on your thesis statement and support your arguments with credible evidence. At iResearchNet, we understand the challenges of writing a research paper and are here to support you with expert guidance and custom research paper writing services. Together, let us contribute to the advancement of human rights knowledge and advocate for a more just and equitable world.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 113 great research paper topics.

General Education

One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.

In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.

What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?

Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.

#1: It's Something You're Interested In

A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.

#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper

Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.

Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.

#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines

Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.

113 Good Research Paper Topics

Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.

Arts/Culture

Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

Current Events

What have been the impacts of China's one child policy?
How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades?
How has the Trump presidency changed international relations?
Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
How have the US's immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US?
What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US?
What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)?
What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power?
Discuss the history of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies (some of which tokenize the S&P 500 Index on the blockchain) .
Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers?
Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren't receiving a free meal?
Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools?
Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method ?
Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act?
How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries?
What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students' health?
Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools?
Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching?
How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
Should graduate students be able to form unions?

What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US?
How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace?
Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes?
Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another.
Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs?
Which prison reforms have proven most effective?
Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet?
Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet?
How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss?
How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other?
What are the most effective ways to treat depression ?
What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods?
Which methods are most effective for improving memory?
What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US?
What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis?
Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic .
Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week?
Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children?
What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs?
How does stress affect the body?
Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation?
How has New Orleans and the government's response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina?
What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
What were the impacts of British rule in India ?
Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
What were the successes and failures of the women's suffrage movement in the United States?
What were the causes of the Civil War?
How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
What caused Hitler's rise to power?
Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
What led to Cleopatra's fall as ruler of Egypt?
How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries?
What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide ?

Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?

Science/Environment

How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
What are the pros and cons of fracking?
What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
How are black holes created?
Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
Has social media made people more or less connected?
What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

How to Write a Great Research Paper

Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.

#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early

Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!

As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."

If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."

#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research

Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.

#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing

You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!

Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.

What's Next?

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Q&A: Legal implications of generative artificial intelligence

by University of Waterloo

Maura R. Grossman, JD, Ph.D., is a Research Professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science, cross-appointed to the School of Public Health Sciences at Waterloo, an Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, and an affiliate faculty member of the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence. She is also a Principal at Maura Grossman Law, an eDiscovery law and consulting firm in Buffalo, New York.

Maura is known widely for her work on technology-assisted review (TAR), a supervised machine-learning method that she and her colleague, Cheriton School of Computer Science Professor Emeritus Gordon V. Cormack, developed to expedite review of documents in high-stakes litigation and in systematic reviews for evidence-based medicine.

More recently, Maura has turned her attention to the implications of generative AI on the legal system . With retired District Judge Paul W. Grimm, Cheriton School of Computer Science Professor Dan Brown and undergraduate research assistant Molly Xu, she coauthored a paper titled " The GPTJudge: Justice in a Generative AI World " that outlines new challenges generative AI presents to the bench and bar.

What follows is a lightly edited transcription of a Q&A interview that explores the issues discussed in greater depth in the paper.

What is generative artificial intelligence?

Generative AI (or GenAI) is a specific subset of artificial intelligence that creates new content in response to a prompt provided by a human. The prompt can be multimodal, as can be the output. Someone can type a question and get a text answer, or they can create a voice clip, an image, or a video—really any combination, depending on the system used for both the input and the output.

GenAI creates content that is increasingly difficult to differentiate from content that humans create. The generated text reads well, the photos look authentic, the audio files sound real, and the videos look convincing.

Probably the best-known of the various GenAI systems is ChatGPT, a chatbot released by OpenAI in November 2022, based on a large language model (LLM) that generates fluent text. ChatGPT can carry on a dialogue-style conversation where someone asks it a succession of questions to which it provides human-like responses.

People can also ask ChatGPT to draft a homework assignment for them make their resume more succinct and professional, or describe a particular job and ask the chatbot to tailor their resume to that job's specific requirements. Likewise, they can ask ChatGPT to summarize the main points in a book chapter in language that's understandable to an eight-year-old. Or to write a rap song about Taylor Swift in the style of Eminem. ChatGPT can perform any or all these tasks quite well.

ChatGPT also generates content following specific guidelines—including replicating a particular style or tone—and this is among the reasons why it is increasingly difficult to distinguish its output from that of a human.

How do these generative AI models work?

LLMs use probabilities and statistics to predict the most likely next word in a response based on their training data, which, for the most part, is content scraped from the Internet. The models may see thousands upon thousands of examples of sentences about a certain topic, and the output they deliver is based on what has been most commonly written. That may be accurate, biased, or completely wrong, but the LLM will look for what has been most commonly said in its training data and replicate that.

Many image-based GenAI tools are trained using two algorithms that compete with each other, a process developed in 2017 referred to as "generative adversarial networks" or "GANs."

A generative network creates content, while a discriminatory network critiques that content and compares it against real content. The generative algorithm gets better as it gets more feedback from the discriminatory algorithm. These two networks work together such that as the discriminator improves, so too does the generator.

As GenAI advances, it will become harder to know which output was created by GenAI and what was created by a human. It will blur the lines between real and generated content, between truth and falsehood, and between fact and fiction. This has profound implications for the justice system.

Can AI evidence be admitted in court?

Let me back up a bit first to answer your question. AI evidence suffers the same challenges as most scientific evidence does in that the technology on which it is based can be beyond the ken of the judge or jury, so the parties may have to bring in expensive experts to assess and explain it.

If a police officer uses a radar gun to assess a driver's speed, we know enough about that technology that a case disputing a speeding ticket doesn't typically need a radar expert to explain how the device works and if it's valid and reliable. But that's not the case with new technologies like AI.

Say a human resources professional used AI to determine who to interview for a position and the majority of the people excluded appear to belong to a certain racial or ethnic group. If this went to court, the HR professional's employer would likely need to bring in the system's developers to explain how the AI model was trained, what algorithms it used, what training data was employed, how it was tested and validated, and so on, to show that the system was not discriminatory.

In this example, there's no question whether the evidence presented to the court is real or fake. The issue is, has the AI been tested and validated sufficiently to know it's valid, reliable, unbiased, and works as intended? That's probably the most straightforward issue to deal with. We're trying to determine if the AI is working as it should be, and this is no different from any other technical or scientific evidence; we already have the legal tools for that.

Where we have a new challenge is with deepfakes, AI-generated content that's not real. While there have always been cases of forgery or other manufactured evidence, we are operating at an entirely different level now because the tell-tale signs of a deepfake—for example, that hands have six fingers—are no longer there because the technology has improved so much.

With evidentiary material that's suspected to be a deepfake, parties will probably need to bring in AI forensic experts. So now the courts are not just dealing with, say, a complicated product liability case where the judge or jury needs to understand the workings of a particular machine or a device to determine liability, but the authenticity of the factual evidence itself will be in question.

Say I claim that my supervisor left me abusive or inappropriate voicemail messages, and here's an example of a recording of a message he left as evidence that the events happened exactly as I say. As long as I can show that the recording is more likely than not to be my supervisor's voice, the evidence will come in.

But now, experts may be needed in virtually every case because my supervisor can argue that I manufactured the voicemail message, and the court will need to determine if the evidence is real or fake.

Does GenAI provide new challenges to the justice system?

Yes, with GenAI, we have a different issue altogether. We need to determine if purported deepfake evidence should be admitted in civil and criminal trials. It makes a huge difference whether or not the judge or jury gets to consider that evidence in deciding a case.

Part of the challenge for the justice system—at least the system in the United States with which I am most familiar—is that the standard for admissibility is low. The evidence simply has to meet a "preponderance standard,"—meaning that the evidence is more likely than not what I say it is, the odds being slightly more than that of a coin toss.

With deepfake evidence, that's a very low bar. Someone can play a recording of your voice in court and I can testify that I've spoken to you many times and know it's you in the recording because I recognize your voice. That's enough for such evidence to be admissible in a U.S. court. But just because it sounds like you doesn't mean the recording is of something you actually said. With an AI voice-cloning tool anyone could generate an audio clip that sounds like you for free in minutes. This is the issue.

There's not a perfect fit between the current rules of evidence and the structure of the U.S. and Canadian justice systems for this new kind of evidence, which will increasingly show up in the courts. You say this is a real audio recording, and I say it's not; it's a deepfake. That defense—referred to as the "liar's dividend"—will be made more and more often. Everything now has plausible deniability.

If the defendant's lawyer can show that at the time the alleged offending voicemail message was left on my phone (according to its electronic date and time stamp, referred to as "metadata") that my supervisor was having open heart surgery, it's unlikely that the person in the voicemail was him. That should be enough to challenge the claim, but what happens if the evidence doesn't have metadata or the metadata has been altered somehow?

Anyone can claim any evidence is fake, so alleged deepfake evidence must meet other requirements. The person asserting the deepfake defense will have to show some quantum of proof that the evidence is indeed a deepfake. This may be extraordinarily challenging, given how convincing deepfakes can be. While this issue may seem far-fetched, individuals implicated in the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack claimed that the person in the social media or surveillance videos offered against them were not actually them.

As people become more aware of how easy it is to manipulate and generate audio and visual evidence, defendants will use that skepticism to their benefit.

There's a U.S. evidentiary rule, known as Federal Rule of Evidence 403, that provides general guidance to lawyers and trial judges that might be useful in the alleged deepfake context, but evidence rules are not designed and promulgated for any particular type of technical evidence. The rule has been used cautiously and infrequently to deny the admissibility of evidence that might be unduly prejudicial, confusing, or likely to mislead.

My co-authors and I have argued that we should ease the strict requirements of that rule such that if a party can make a sufficiently credible showing to challenge certain evidence as deepfake, the judge should look at whether that evidence is the only evidence to prove the claim and whether admitting other factors might outweigh it. Is there other corroborating evidence?

Did six people, at other times, also hear my supervisor say what was said in the voicemail, or has that supervisor written similar things in other emails that were sent to other employees? If so, that's a very different set of facts than if the deepfake evidence is the only evidence the court has available to it, and we have competing facts about whether or not it is authentic.

When evaluating the admissibility of evidence that is potentially deepfake, judges need to avoid the unfair prejudice that can occur if the fake evidence is allowed to be presented to the jury. We know that audio and video evidence strongly influence what people perceive and remember. If you show jurors an audiovisual clip as compared to having them read a witness transcript, they are 650 percent more likely to remember the content in the audiovisual clip.

That's just how the human mind works. The court will need to consider the potential risk, negative impact, or problematic consequences that could occur if the evidence turns out to be fake. Of course, the implications could be anything from losing a small sum of money to losing custody of children or one's freedom.

Can lawyers and litigants use ChatGPT to prepare court filings?

Yes, and in the past year, both lawyers and self-represented persons, who are known as pro se litigants, have used ChatGPT to prepare filings for court. But one big problem is the propensity of GenAI to hallucinate. Briefs have been drafted with citations that sound authoritative but are not real and refer to cases that don't exist. In response, we have a frightened judiciary that has reacted by requiring disclosure of the use of AI and certification that the filer has verified the cited sources.

On the positive side, ChatGPT can allow litigants without sufficient means to hire lawyers to file cases in court so GenAI can increase access to justice. People who simply can't afford a lawyer or cannot access one for other reasons can now use GenAI to generate customized legal papers specific to their circumstances and jurisdictions.

But on the negative side, someone who is vexatious can now use ChatGPT to file hundreds of complaints against multiple people and flood the courts. Malicious filers also can prepare simultaneous filings in courts around the country, flooding the courts with duplicate, frivolous submissions.

Can judges and their staff use GenAI for research or to draft opinions?

We know of at least three judges so far who have used GenAI to draft opinions. You might think, what's the problem since GPT-4 has passed the U.S. bar exam? But the concern is that ChatGPT can provide different answers to the same question at different times, not to mention hallucinating completely false information.

We have a justice system in the first place to guarantee people their day in court before a living, breathing, human judge. Using a GenAI system for independent research without informing counsel or the parties and providing them with an opportunity to object or respond to arguments that are not in the record may expose the court to sources of information that have not been put in evidence or that raise other due process issues.

So, for now, while the tools can be a useful adjunct, as far as I am aware, the courts in the U.S. and Canada are refraining from using GenAI for decision-making and drafting purposes.

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What the data says about abortion in the U.S.

Pew Research Center has conducted many surveys about abortion over the years, providing a lens into Americans’ views on whether the procedure should be legal, among a host of other questions.

In a Center survey conducted nearly a year after the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision that ended the constitutional right to abortion , 62% of U.S. adults said the practice should be legal in all or most cases, while 36% said it should be illegal in all or most cases. Another survey conducted a few months before the decision showed that relatively few Americans take an absolutist view on the issue .

Find answers to common questions about abortion in America, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, which have tracked these patterns for several decades:

How many abortions are there in the U.S. each year?

How has the number of abortions in the u.s. changed over time, what is the abortion rate among women in the u.s. how has it changed over time, what are the most common types of abortion, how many abortion providers are there in the u.s., and how has that number changed, what percentage of abortions are for women who live in a different state from the abortion provider, what are the demographics of women who have had abortions, when during pregnancy do most abortions occur, how often are there medical complications from abortion.

This compilation of data on abortion in the United States draws mainly from two sources: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, both of which have regularly compiled national abortion data for approximately half a century, and which collect their data in different ways.

The CDC data that is highlighted in this post comes from the agency’s “abortion surveillance” reports, which have been published annually since 1974 (and which have included data from 1969). Its figures from 1973 through 1996 include data from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and New York City – 52 “reporting areas” in all. Since 1997, the CDC’s totals have lacked data from some states (most notably California) for the years that those states did not report data to the agency. The four reporting areas that did not submit data to the CDC in 2021 – California, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey – accounted for approximately 25% of all legal induced abortions in the U.S. in 2020, according to Guttmacher’s data. Most states, though, do have data in the reports, and the figures for the vast majority of them came from each state’s central health agency, while for some states, the figures came from hospitals and other medical facilities.

Discussion of CDC abortion data involving women’s state of residence, marital status, race, ethnicity, age, abortion history and the number of previous live births excludes the low share of abortions where that information was not supplied. Read the methodology for the CDC’s latest abortion surveillance report , which includes data from 2021, for more details. Previous reports can be found at stacks.cdc.gov by entering “abortion surveillance” into the search box.

For the numbers of deaths caused by induced abortions in 1963 and 1965, this analysis looks at reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. In computing those figures, we excluded abortions listed in the report under the categories “spontaneous or unspecified” or as “other.” (“Spontaneous abortion” is another way of referring to miscarriages.)

Guttmacher data in this post comes from national surveys of abortion providers that Guttmacher has conducted 19 times since 1973. Guttmacher compiles its figures after contacting every known provider of abortions – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, and it provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond to its inquiries. (In 2020, the last year for which it has released data on the number of abortions in the U.S., it used estimates for 12% of abortions.) For most of the 2000s, Guttmacher has conducted these national surveys every three years, each time getting abortion data for the prior two years. For each interim year, Guttmacher has calculated estimates based on trends from its own figures and from other data.

The latest full summary of Guttmacher data came in the institute’s report titled “Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2020.” It includes figures for 2020 and 2019 and estimates for 2018. The report includes a methods section.

In addition, this post uses data from StatPearls, an online health care resource, on complications from abortion.

An exact answer is hard to come by. The CDC and the Guttmacher Institute have each tried to measure this for around half a century, but they use different methods and publish different figures.

The last year for which the CDC reported a yearly national total for abortions is 2021. It found there were 625,978 abortions in the District of Columbia and the 46 states with available data that year, up from 597,355 in those states and D.C. in 2020. The corresponding figure for 2019 was 607,720.

The last year for which Guttmacher reported a yearly national total was 2020. It said there were 930,160 abortions that year in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, compared with 916,460 in 2019.

How the CDC gets its data: It compiles figures that are voluntarily reported by states’ central health agencies, including separate figures for New York City and the District of Columbia. Its latest totals do not include figures from California, Maryland, New Hampshire or New Jersey, which did not report data to the CDC. ( Read the methodology from the latest CDC report .)
How Guttmacher gets its data: It compiles its figures after contacting every known abortion provider – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, then provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond. Guttmacher’s figures are higher than the CDC’s in part because they include data (and in some instances, estimates) from all 50 states. ( Read the institute’s latest full report and methodology .)

While the Guttmacher Institute supports abortion rights, its empirical data on abortions in the U.S. has been widely cited by groups and publications across the political spectrum, including by a number of those that disagree with its positions .

These estimates from Guttmacher and the CDC are results of multiyear efforts to collect data on abortion across the U.S. Last year, Guttmacher also began publishing less precise estimates every few months , based on a much smaller sample of providers.

The figures reported by these organizations include only legal induced abortions conducted by clinics, hospitals or physicians’ offices, or those that make use of abortion pills dispensed from certified facilities such as clinics or physicians’ offices. They do not account for the use of abortion pills that were obtained outside of clinical settings .

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A line chart showing the changing number of legal abortions in the U.S. since the 1970s.

The annual number of U.S. abortions rose for years after Roe v. Wade legalized the procedure in 1973, reaching its highest levels around the late 1980s and early 1990s, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. Since then, abortions have generally decreased at what a CDC analysis called “a slow yet steady pace.”

Guttmacher says the number of abortions occurring in the U.S. in 2020 was 40% lower than it was in 1991. According to the CDC, the number was 36% lower in 2021 than in 1991, looking just at the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported both of those years.

(The corresponding line graph shows the long-term trend in the number of legal abortions reported by both organizations. To allow for consistent comparisons over time, the CDC figures in the chart have been adjusted to ensure that the same states are counted from one year to the next. Using that approach, the CDC figure for 2021 is 622,108 legal abortions.)

There have been occasional breaks in this long-term pattern of decline – during the middle of the first decade of the 2000s, and then again in the late 2010s. The CDC reported modest 1% and 2% increases in abortions in 2018 and 2019, and then, after a 2% decrease in 2020, a 5% increase in 2021. Guttmacher reported an 8% increase over the three-year period from 2017 to 2020.

As noted above, these figures do not include abortions that use pills obtained outside of clinical settings.

Guttmacher says that in 2020 there were 14.4 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. Its data shows that the rate of abortions among women has generally been declining in the U.S. since 1981, when it reported there were 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women in that age range.

The CDC says that in 2021, there were 11.6 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. (That figure excludes data from California, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.) Like Guttmacher’s data, the CDC’s figures also suggest a general decline in the abortion rate over time. In 1980, when the CDC reported on all 50 states and D.C., it said there were 25 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.

That said, both Guttmacher and the CDC say there were slight increases in the rate of abortions during the late 2010s and early 2020s. Guttmacher says the abortion rate per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 rose from 13.5 in 2017 to 14.4 in 2020. The CDC says it rose from 11.2 per 1,000 in 2017 to 11.4 in 2019, before falling back to 11.1 in 2020 and then rising again to 11.6 in 2021. (The CDC’s figures for those years exclude data from California, D.C., Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.)

The CDC broadly divides abortions into two categories: surgical abortions and medication abortions, which involve pills. Since the Food and Drug Administration first approved abortion pills in 2000, their use has increased over time as a share of abortions nationally, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher.

The majority of abortions in the U.S. now involve pills, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. The CDC says 56% of U.S. abortions in 2021 involved pills, up from 53% in 2020 and 44% in 2019. Its figures for 2021 include the District of Columbia and 44 states that provided this data; its figures for 2020 include D.C. and 44 states (though not all of the same states as in 2021), and its figures for 2019 include D.C. and 45 states.

Guttmacher, which measures this every three years, says 53% of U.S. abortions involved pills in 2020, up from 39% in 2017.

Two pills commonly used together for medication abortions are mifepristone, which, taken first, blocks hormones that support a pregnancy, and misoprostol, which then causes the uterus to empty. According to the FDA, medication abortions are safe until 10 weeks into pregnancy.

Surgical abortions conducted during the first trimester of pregnancy typically use a suction process, while the relatively few surgical abortions that occur during the second trimester of a pregnancy typically use a process called dilation and evacuation, according to the UCLA School of Medicine.

In 2020, there were 1,603 facilities in the U.S. that provided abortions, according to Guttmacher . This included 807 clinics, 530 hospitals and 266 physicians’ offices.

A horizontal stacked bar chart showing the total number of abortion providers down since 1982.

While clinics make up half of the facilities that provide abortions, they are the sites where the vast majority (96%) of abortions are administered, either through procedures or the distribution of pills, according to Guttmacher’s 2020 data. (This includes 54% of abortions that are administered at specialized abortion clinics and 43% at nonspecialized clinics.) Hospitals made up 33% of the facilities that provided abortions in 2020 but accounted for only 3% of abortions that year, while just 1% of abortions were conducted by physicians’ offices.

Looking just at clinics – that is, the total number of specialized abortion clinics and nonspecialized clinics in the U.S. – Guttmacher found the total virtually unchanged between 2017 (808 clinics) and 2020 (807 clinics). However, there were regional differences. In the Midwest, the number of clinics that provide abortions increased by 11% during those years, and in the West by 6%. The number of clinics decreased during those years by 9% in the Northeast and 3% in the South.

The total number of abortion providers has declined dramatically since the 1980s. In 1982, according to Guttmacher, there were 2,908 facilities providing abortions in the U.S., including 789 clinics, 1,405 hospitals and 714 physicians’ offices.

The CDC does not track the number of abortion providers.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that provided abortion and residency information to the CDC in 2021, 10.9% of all abortions were performed on women known to live outside the state where the abortion occurred – slightly higher than the percentage in 2020 (9.7%). That year, D.C. and 46 states (though not the same ones as in 2021) reported abortion and residency data. (The total number of abortions used in these calculations included figures for women with both known and unknown residential status.)

The share of reported abortions performed on women outside their state of residence was much higher before the 1973 Roe decision that stopped states from banning abortion. In 1972, 41% of all abortions in D.C. and the 20 states that provided this information to the CDC that year were performed on women outside their state of residence. In 1973, the corresponding figure was 21% in the District of Columbia and the 41 states that provided this information, and in 1974 it was 11% in D.C. and the 43 states that provided data.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported age data to the CDC in 2021, the majority of women who had abortions (57%) were in their 20s, while about three-in-ten (31%) were in their 30s. Teens ages 13 to 19 accounted for 8% of those who had abortions, while women ages 40 to 44 accounted for about 4%.

The vast majority of women who had abortions in 2021 were unmarried (87%), while married women accounted for 13%, according to the CDC , which had data on this from 37 states.

A pie chart showing that, in 2021, majority of abortions were for women who had never had one before.

In the District of Columbia, New York City (but not the rest of New York) and the 31 states that reported racial and ethnic data on abortion to the CDC , 42% of all women who had abortions in 2021 were non-Hispanic Black, while 30% were non-Hispanic White, 22% were Hispanic and 6% were of other races.

Looking at abortion rates among those ages 15 to 44, there were 28.6 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic Black women in 2021; 12.3 abortions per 1,000 Hispanic women; 6.4 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic White women; and 9.2 abortions per 1,000 women of other races, the CDC reported from those same 31 states, D.C. and New York City.

For 57% of U.S. women who had induced abortions in 2021, it was the first time they had ever had one, according to the CDC. For nearly a quarter (24%), it was their second abortion. For 11% of women who had an abortion that year, it was their third, and for 8% it was their fourth or more. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

A bar chart showing that most U.S. abortions in 2021 were for women who had previously given birth.

Nearly four-in-ten women who had abortions in 2021 (39%) had no previous live births at the time they had an abortion, according to the CDC . Almost a quarter (24%) of women who had abortions in 2021 had one previous live birth, 20% had two previous live births, 10% had three, and 7% had four or more previous live births. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

The vast majority of abortions occur during the first trimester of a pregnancy. In 2021, 93% of abortions occurred during the first trimester – that is, at or before 13 weeks of gestation, according to the CDC . An additional 6% occurred between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, and about 1% were performed at 21 weeks or more of gestation. These CDC figures include data from 40 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

About 2% of all abortions in the U.S. involve some type of complication for the woman , according to an article in StatPearls, an online health care resource. “Most complications are considered minor such as pain, bleeding, infection and post-anesthesia complications,” according to the article.

The CDC calculates case-fatality rates for women from induced abortions – that is, how many women die from abortion-related complications, for every 100,000 legal abortions that occur in the U.S . The rate was lowest during the most recent period examined by the agency (2013 to 2020), when there were 0.45 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. The case-fatality rate reported by the CDC was highest during the first period examined by the agency (1973 to 1977), when it was 2.09 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. During the five-year periods in between, the figure ranged from 0.52 (from 1993 to 1997) to 0.78 (from 1978 to 1982).

The CDC calculates death rates by five-year and seven-year periods because of year-to-year fluctuation in the numbers and due to the relatively low number of women who die from legal induced abortions.

In 2020, the last year for which the CDC has information , six women in the U.S. died due to complications from induced abortions. Four women died in this way in 2019, two in 2018, and three in 2017. (These deaths all followed legal abortions.) Since 1990, the annual number of deaths among women due to legal induced abortion has ranged from two to 12.

The annual number of reported deaths from induced abortions (legal and illegal) tended to be higher in the 1980s, when it ranged from nine to 16, and from 1972 to 1979, when it ranged from 13 to 63. One driver of the decline was the drop in deaths from illegal abortions. There were 39 deaths from illegal abortions in 1972, the last full year before Roe v. Wade. The total fell to 19 in 1973 and to single digits or zero every year after that. (The number of deaths from legal abortions has also declined since then, though with some slight variation over time.)

The number of deaths from induced abortions was considerably higher in the 1960s than afterward. For instance, there were 119 deaths from induced abortions in 1963 and 99 in 1965 , according to reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC is a division of Health and Human Services.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published May 27, 2022, and first updated June 24, 2022.

Support for legal abortion is widespread in many countries, especially in Europe

Nearly a year after roe’s demise, americans’ views of abortion access increasingly vary by where they live, by more than two-to-one, americans say medication abortion should be legal in their state, most latinos say democrats care about them and work hard for their vote, far fewer say so of gop, positive views of supreme court decline sharply following abortion ruling, most popular.

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George Mason University

Research will aid law enforcement officer decision-making in high-stress situations

George Mason University researchers are using immersive virtual reality to examine ways in which high-stress conditions may influence law enforcement officer decision-making and utilization of equitable policing strategies.

Mason College of Education and Human Development professor Stephanie Dailey is serving as the principal investigator on the project and working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, in collaboration with the Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute , a federally funded research and development center at the MITRE Corporation.

For this project, Dailey aims to better understand how law enforcement officer support, including training and wellness strategies, can affect officer decision-making and lead to equitable policing outcomes.

This multidisciplinary, multi-year effort includes Sue-Ming Yang in the Department of Criminology, Law, and Society and Justin Ramsdell in the Department of Psychology in Mason’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The study, which uses MITRE’s SIMEX system , involves law enforcement officers who have been participating in a series of experiments where immersive virtual reality is used to simulate a high-stress encounter with a subject—as portrayed by an avatar—exhibiting various social and behavioral characteristics. The SIMEX simulation labs, located McLean, Virginia, offer a special mix of technical and operational capabilities for government agencies that want to try out new ideas by using dedicated, state-of-the-art laboratories.

In the experiments, the subject avatars vary throughout the experiment in dress, skin tone, compliant or noncompliant behaviors, and whether they are armed or unarmed. In response to a rapid sequence of simulated scenarios in which the suspect displays different combinations of these controlled variables, officers volunteering for this study are required to make quick decisions on how to respond to the subject. The simulated scenes mirror real-life situations in which officers could find themselves.

In discussing her research, Dailey said that examining an officer’s use of force decision-making allows for a better understanding of the circumstances in which officers use different levels of force. Specifically, circumstances in which officers are more likely to react in a way that is not commensurate with the situation or threat level at hand.

“We all have biases,” said Dailey, who is an assistant professor in the Counseling Program in the School of Education . “Anytime we are navigating the world, we are operating off a series of cognitive shortcuts or mechanisms that support rapid decision-making, such as ‘don’t touch a hot stove!’”

But Dailey added that sometimes the cognitive shortcuts people use are based upon faulty assumptions. “Having officers repeatedly go through different simulated scenarios helps us isolate what factors may influence officer decision-making.”

Dailey provided several examples of how the behavioral cues displayed by the subjects in the simulated experiments are manipulated in isolation or in combination with other characteristics thus giving researchers the opportunity to observe the officer’s reactions under different scenarios. The combination of these variables is randomized and determined by algorithms designed to identify factors that may merit further investigation in subsequent runs of the simulated experiments.

“We look at different combinations of factors and see where there are statistically significant variations in the decisions made by an officer on how to interact with the subject, including use of force decisions,” said Dailey, who watches the simulations in real time.

She added that the officer’s use of force is based upon a continuum and not limited to discharging a service weapon but could include verbal commands, soft hand controls, using a taser, attempts at physical restraint, or other nonlethal actions.

The next phase of the project will center on the impact of training supporting equitable policing. Researchers will survey law enforcement officers who have had this training to investigate if it has positively impacted officer behaviors and well-being in the field.

Dailey emphasized the importance of being proactive in ensuring that law enforcement officers are well-equipped to make good decisions not only when faced with a threat, but to be prepared even before a threat presents itself. This can enhance the protection and safety of both the officer and the community.

“The idea is to provide recommendations for these trainings and to help law enforcement agencies understand what part of equitable policing training is most helpful for officers,” she said. “The primary focus of this training is self-awareness, de-escalation skills, and procedural justice.”

The research team will examine whether there are specific aspects of this training that are especially beneficial in enhancing an officer’s ability to respond to a high-stress situation in a way that protects the safety and well-being of the community.

“If my main goal is to help communities that are impacted by police violence, then the best place to start is with the decision-making of officers,” said Dailey. “As a researcher, I am trying to support safer and more just communities by helping officers make informed decisions.”

This is Dailey’s second time working with MITRE on research using their SIMEX. Read about the the school safety project.

Emerging Drug Trends

Rear view of young couple enjoying an outdoor festival at night

Emerging drugs, which include designer drugs and new psychoactive substances , are substances that have appeared or become more popular in the drug market in recent years.
Emerging drugs have unpredictable health effects . They may be as powerful or more powerful than existing drugs, and may be fatal.
Because drug markets change quickly, NIDA supports the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) , which tracks emerging substances. NIDA also advances the science on emerging drugs by supporting research on their use and on their health effects.

What are emerging drugs?

Emerging drugs are mind-altering substances that have become more common in recent years. They may be sold in drug markets or at convenience stores and online. Since 2013, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has identified more than 1,000 emerging drugs worldwide. 1

These substances, which include designer drugs and new psychoactive substances , come from many sources. Some were first developed as potential treatments or research chemicals. Others originate in illicit labs and are created to mimic the effects of drugs regulated under the Controlled Substances Act . These emerging substances often produce similar effects and/or are chemically similar to illegal or prescription opioids, stimulants, benzodiazapines (“benzos”), or other existing types of drugs.

People may seek out these drugs for recreation or use them to self-medicate without medical supervision. They may also be added to other drugs without a buyer knowing it. As a result, the health effects of emerging drugs are largely unknown, potentially posing a public health threat and contributing to the overdose crisis . 2,3

NIDA monitors emerging drug trends through its Designer Drug Research Unit and through support for the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) , which tracks drug-related emergency calls.

What are the effects of emerging drugs?

An emerging drug’s effects depend on the type of substance it is—for instance, if it is a new type of opioid , depressant , synthetic cannabinoid , psychedelic , or stimulant. Its effects may be unpredictable and unwanted, especially if it is an unknown ingredient in another drug. A person may not know what substance or substances they have really taken. And because these substances are new to the drug market, clinicians or researchers may not know their effects or how potent (powerful) they are until people begin to visit emergency departments or clinics with symptoms of negative health effects. 4

In addition, emerging substances are usually not included in emergency department drug tests and are not routinely included in the toxicology tests used after a fatal overdose. The delay in this data means there is also a delay in understanding how widespread use of the drug is, why and how these drugs have their effects, and how to care for people who experience negative effects of those substances.

NIDA researchers and grantees collaborate to identify how these emerging drugs work and their potential health effects, including those that have the potential to impact the overdose crisis. NIDA also supports the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) to track emerging substances and their impact on drug-related emergency calls.

What are nitazenes?

Nitazenes are a class of lab-made (synthetic) opioids that may be as powerful or more powerful than fentanyl. 4 They were developed in research labs in the 1950s as potential pain relievers but never marketed. Nitazenes are most often sold as a white powder or tablets. People may not be aware that they have taken nitazenes, as they may be added to other substances, including fentanyl, heroin, and benzodiazepines. 5

Nitazenes began to re-emerge in the drug supply in 2019, after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration banned fentanyl-related substances. 6,7 Researchers and authorities are monitoring nitazenes, including isotonitazene, protonitazene, etonitazene, N-piperidinyl etonitazene, and metonitazene. Many nitazenes are listed as Schedule 1 drugs under the Controlled Substances Act.

Like all opioids , nitazenes can slow breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate to dangerously low levels, potentially contributing to overdose . Preliminary NIDA-supported research shows that the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone is effective with isonitazene, metonitazene, and etonitazene, though it may require repeated doses. More research is needed to confirm these findings with additional nitazenes and in larger groups of people. Fentanyl test strips do not detect nitazenes.

What is tianeptine?

Tianeptine is an antidepressant medication that is not approved for use in the United States. NIDA-funded research suggests that most people take tianeptine in dietary supplements marketed as cognitive enhancers or nootropics, often sold in convenience stores and online. It may be blended with or taken at the same time as other nootropics (like phenibut and racetams) and is also used with substances such as kratom , kava, and gabapentin.

Tianeptine is not an opioid but at high doses it can have opioid-like effects, such as dangerous drops in blood pressure, heart rate, or breathing rate. Research shows that other effects include problems with brain, heart, and digestive function.

Research has shown that tianeptine can cause symptoms of a substance use disorder, including tolerance—which is when you need to take more of a drug for it to have the same level of effect—and withdrawal. Withdrawal from tianeptine has been associated with pain and problems with brain, heart, and digestive function. Early evidence suggests that tianeptine-related substance use disorder can be treated with medications for opioid use disorder , such as buprenorphine. 8

What are new psychoactive substances?

“New psychoactive substances” is a term used to describe lab-made compounds created to skirt existing drug laws . The category may include medications created by pharmaceutical companies or researchers that were never meant to reach the public .

These substances belong to a number of drug classes:

Synthetic opioids. These drugs are chemically different from existing lab-made opioids like fentanyl . They include brorphine and U-47700. Researchers first identified brorphine in the unregulated drug supply in 2018. New synthetic opioids may slow breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate to dangerously low levels, potentially contributing to overdose. Emerging opioids can be as powerful or more powerful than fentanyl, which itself is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine.
Synthetic cannabinoids , sometimes called “K2” or “Spice.” Lab-made cannabinoids are chemically similar to the cannabis plant but may have very different effects. Newer synthetic cannabinoids include ADMB-5,Br-BUTINACA and MDMB-4en-PINACA. MDMB-4en-PINACA has been associated with hallucinations, paranoia, and confusion. These substances have been found in people who died from accidental overdose. 9
Synthetic cathinones , also known as “Bath Salts.” Lab-made cathinones are stimulants that are chemically related to, but not derived from, the khat plant. People sometimes take synthetic cathinones as a less expensive alternative to other stimulants, but cathinones have also been found as an added ingredient in other recreational drugs. Emerging cathinones include eutylone, N,N-dimethylpentylone (dipentylone), and pentylone. These substances have been found in people who died from overdose. 10
Synthetic benzodiazapines. Benzodiazapenes are a class of lab-made depressants that include prescription medications such as diazepam (sometimes sold as Valium), alprazolam (sometimes sold as Xanax), and clonazepam (sometimes sold as Klonopin). Recent data show that new versions of recreationally manufactured bezodiazapines include bromazolam, disalkylgidazepam, and flubromazepam. 11

How does NIDA support research into emerging drugs?

NIDA supports research tracking the emergence of new drugs into the unregulated drug supply, including via the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) , collaboration with other researchers, partners around the world, and social media. The Institute studies or supports research on changes in the lab-made drug supply and how these emerging substances work in the brain, as well as their health effects and potential as therapeutic treatments.

NIDA also researches ways to prevent substance use and misuse , and studies whether and how harm reduction methods may prevent, reverse, or reduce rates of overdose.

Latest from NIDA

Woman looking up into the sky above the tree tops of a cypress forest.

Law enforcement seizures of psilocybin mushrooms rose dramatically between 2017-2022

Close-up of a brightly lit whack-a-mole carnival game.

Can science keep up with designer drugs?

Rear view of woman at the golden hour looking at the setting sun filtering through her raised hand.

Xylazine appears to worsen the life-threatening effects of opioids in rats

Find more resources on emerging drugs.

See recent data on Overdose Rates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Stay up to date on new and emerging substances at the National Drug Early Warning System website
Early warning advisory on new psychoactive substances. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Accessed April 15, 2024. https://www.unodc.org/LSS/Page/NPS
Singh VM, Browne T, Montgomery J. The emerging role of toxic adulterants in street drugs in the US illicit opioid crisis . Public Health Rep . 2020;135(1):6-10. doi:10.1177/0033354919887741
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Issue header for the first/second quarter of Econ Focus for 2024.

Also in this issue:

Investing in the Great Outdoors
The End of the Student Loan Repayment Moratorium
Ulrike Malmendier | Interview
Tipping: From Scourge of Democracy to American Ritual
When Economists Navigate by the Stars
Back to Table of Contents

Ulrike Malmendier

On law versus economics, the long-term effects of inflation, and the remembrance of crises past

Image: Courtesy Noah Berger

Over the course of her career, much of the research of University of California, Berkeley economist Ulrike Malmendier has been in the areas of behavioral economics and behavioral corporate finance — looking at the effects of various psychological biases, such as overconfidence, on the decisions of consumers, investors, and executives.

Malmendier's more recent work has taken a turn that has made her the Marcel Proust of economics — focusing, like the French novelist, on the subjective nature of human experience and its enduring influence. In this research, she has been analyzing "experience effects": how individuals living through financial crises and other significant economic events respond to these experiences in their future financial behavior. In her view, a major difference between homo economicus (the hypothetical person of classical economics who is perfectly rational and perfectly informed) and actual people is that, as she puts it, "The homo economicus is more of a robot who processes data rather than a living organism whose mind and body absorb these experiences."

In addition to faculty appointments at Berkeley's economics department and Haas School of Business, she is faculty director of Berkeley's new O'Donnell Center for Behavioral Economics, which she co-founded with her husband and Berkeley economics colleague Stefano DellaVigna.

A native of Germany, where she studied ancient Roman law before moving to economics, Malmendier has seen her research published in, among other journals, the American Economic Review , the Quarterly Journal of Economics , and the Journal of Finance . She has received numerous awards, including, in 2013, the American Finance Association's prestigious Fischer Black Prize, awarded biennially to a leading finance scholar under the age of 40 for significant contributions to the field. She is also a fellow of the Econometric Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The German federal government appointed her in 2022 to the five-member German Council of Economic Experts, sometimes called the Five Sages.

David A. Price interviewed Malmendier by phone in January.

EF: How did you become interested in economics?

Malmendier: There were a couple of motivations that played a role. One is that my father had experienced the after-effects of World War II in Germany, so he had a strong notion that you better go for a job where you could earn a safe living. I did pretty well in high school, yet my dad insisted that it would be better to first go to a bank and do one of these German-type apprenticeships. It was practical. I know how to evaluate you for a loan, open your account, and so on. And you study a little bit; I did a two-year degree in business economics. So I'm a publicly certified banker. It was very much a result of this scarring from the past, the idea that we never know what's going to happen.

When I actually started studying, I went to the University of Bonn. I was interested in both economics and law. I was initially more leaning toward law, specifically ancient Roman law; in fact, I ended up doing a whole Ph.D. in law. But since my bank experience, I had economics always in the back of my mind. In the Juridicum building in Bonn, where the law students are taught, the economics students are also taught. So I managed to also get into the economics program. Formally, it was actually not possible to enroll in both degree programs, but when somebody dropped out, I applied for their slot and got it.

What I experienced in the program was theory, mechanism design, the beauty of math, which kind of led me back into economics. The very mathematical, not very real-world-oriented way in which we were taught economics in Bonn just intellectually attracted me. I had some excellent teachers there. That's really the way I found my path into economics.

EF: That sounds like a big switch from law.

Malmendier: In the civil law systems like you have in Germany, and which go back to Roman law, it's not math, but it's pretty close. You really have to learn the whole big model and how to filter through the case at hand and come to the answer. It's quite stimulating intellectually in a way that seems very related to math. At 8 p.m. on Thursdays, we would meet in the Roman Law Institute, sit between the old books and then open up the Corpus Iuris Civilis , the big work of Roman law, and take a piece of the Latin text, translate it, and discuss the logic and how it flows. That was an exercise with an almost mathematical feel to it.

EF: Turning to your research, one of the things you've found is that people's likelihood of buying a home rather than renting is influenced by their experiences with inflation. Please explain.

Malmendier: I'll step back for the bigger picture here. In general, I have been very interested in the question of how our personal lifetime experiences tend to change us, tend to change the outlook we have of the world, the way we form beliefs. They might also influence our preferences, although my work is a bit more on the beliefs side.

I mentioned how my early life path was influenced by my dad experiencing World War II and how everything can get destroyed — the house gets destroyed, you lose all your possessions and savings, and maybe your country's currency isn't worth anything anymore. One way of looking at the effects of this is simply in terms of information: After such an experience, you have new data about what can happen. That's the traditional economic view. But I'd argue that there's an element beyond the intellectual. When it's your own life, you tend to put a lot of weight on what has happened to you. You're pushed toward overweighing outcomes that have happened to you.

I first worked on that in the context of the stock market, with a paper Stefan Nagel and I wrote on Depression babies in the U.S. We showed that people who experience big crashes of the stock market tend to shy away for years and decades from investing anything in the stock markets. We then turned to another experience, inflation.

Here, the example of Germany was our motivation. Within the EU, the Germans are somewhat notorious for being preoccupied with inflation being a terrible thing and distrusting the European Central Bank to handle it well. That's our reputation. But where does it come from? Many people think that it might have something to do with Germany going through the hyperinflation in the Weimar times and that experience affecting the German populace strongly — so strongly that the adverse reaction was even transmitted to the next generations.

With that big motivation in mind, we thought experience effects might also apply to inflation. Suppose I've lived through a period of high inflation, such as the Great Inflation in the U.S. of the late 1970s, early '80s. Even if I am an economist and work on monetary policy and inflation, I'm still going to be affected by that personal experience. If I'm asked to forecast inflation on the margin, I may overweigh what I saw happening; I may overweigh the probability that prices can spiral out of control.

If that's the case, it's going to influence my financial decision-making. I would want to protect myself against inflation. So how can I protect myself? I put my money into protected assets. In addition to gold and the stock market and so on, one way is to invest in real estate. And so one prediction is that people who are worried about their money being worth much less in the future might want, on the margin, to buy a home rather than rent.

Also, if I can finance this home purchase with a fixed-rate mortgage, so I'm borrowing at a fixed rate — but I think inflation will go up — I believe that it's going to be a good deal. I don't really like variable-rate mortgages at all in this case because I'm worried about the risk of nominal rates adjusting upward. So that's the link between inflation experience and making financial decisions that protect yourself against inflation.

EF: Many people are familiar with the idea that Depression-era youth were affected by that experience throughout their lives. How do you think the experiences of the past several years will tend to affect young Americans of today?

Malmendier: For starters, look at inflation, which started creeping up since 2021, and then in 2022 you were getting close to the double digits. There was such a sharp contrast between the long period of the Great Moderation and all of a sudden that price shock kicking in. For older people, who have seen high inflation before in the '80s or even the '70s, I'm predicting they're just taking that into the average of the long period of low inflation since the early 1980s and of their experience of high inflation in the 1970s and early 1980s. Given their long history of experiences, the new spike does not get too much weight. It just goes up a bit.

But for young people in the United States who basically had seen no inflation at all outside of textbooks, it's a different story. All of their life before they had experienced very low inflation, and then all of a sudden there's the spike. Initially, then, they might be a little slow to react. But if the spike in inflation lasts long enough — it isn't just a two-month blip — they realize, whoa, the world I live in is different than the world I thought I was living in, where high inflation happens only in textbooks.

So the weight they put on that experience increases and can in fact end up being much higher than for older generations because the new experience makes up a much larger part of their lives after it has happened for two years or so. Applied to the current situation, we are now moving slowly and steadily toward the 2 percent inflation target, and we might avoid the complete scarring effects.

One area where I do expect big experience effects from recent years is living through the COVID-19 crisis and many of us being relegated to working from home. I do expect there to be a lasting change in how we view the value of social interaction, the value of working from home versus working at your workplace.

The leadership here at the Haas School of Business, where I am right now, is encountering exactly this issue. They wonder why the same people who were happily coming in five days a week before COVID absolutely refuse to do so now. It's clearly an experience that has changed people. In the classical economic model, you would just talk about the information obtained from that experience and maybe the setup cost of learning Zoom. But that can't explain everything. We knew the length of our commutes before COVID.

And yet, personally experiencing what remote work and cutting out your commute means for your personal life makes an enormous difference. You have to experience it first, not because of lack of information, not because you cannot add and subtract hours spent in the car versus not, but because it just enters your decision-making differently if you have physically experienced it.

EF: If I'm, let's say, on the Federal Open Market Committee, am I also subject to these forces of experience?

Malmendier: Yes, you are. And that is maybe the most surprising aspect to many economists. Allow me to step back again: When behavioral economics and behavioral finance started playing more of a role in our profession, the applications initially focused on individual investors or individual consumers — the man or woman on the street, so to speak. We would have not thought that these biased beliefs play a role for the highly informed, highly trained, highly intelligent, successful leader of a company, a Federal Reserve Bank president, a Federal Reserve Board governor.

Even before I was working on the research on experience effects, I was wondering about that. Because biases reflect something our brain is wired to do, it doesn't need to be negatively correlated with intelligence. So my earliest work in behavioral finance in fact was about overconfident CEOs. And I vividly remember when presenting this paper on the job market two decades ago how certain audiences would tell me, look, I know several CEOs, they're very smart, how can you argue they are biased? But it turns out biases do apply, even to the most successful CEOs.

Going back to experience effects, our work here is based on basic neuroscience underpinnings: Namely, that as we are walking through life and making experiences, neurons fire and so cause connections between neurons, synapses, to form. When experiences are repeated and last longer, then these connections become stronger. So, if I've gone through a period of high inflation and seeing a price increase triggers fear and worry, well, that's also happening to highly informed and well-trained and knowledgeable policymakers, even at the very highest level. That's why their past personal experiences can help us to predict who is leaning more on the hawkish or the dovish side. We have actually found strong evidence of it.

And I've asked the same question about bankers. I've looked at the reports of banks' financial situations — provided thanks to the Fed — on how close they might have been to a bank run, how close they have been to financial distress, and whether that affects their lending behavior in later years. For instance, if a bank experienced the Russian debt default crisis in 1998, their situation during this crisis has a lasting influence on their future choice of exposure in these kind of debt markets.

EF: It seems like you're quite interested in the psychological level of explanation for economic behavior. What drew you to studying these kinds of issues?

Malmendier: Partly it goes back to those times at the University of Bonn, where I was initially sitting in my law lectures, and then I was venturing over to the very mathematical theoretical economics lectures. As beautiful as the modeling and analysis of equilibria was, I was struck by the sharp contrast between the human behavior we analyzed in my law classes and how human behavior was modeled in my economics lectures. In law, humans make mistakes and emotions play a role. For example, for how the penal code considers somebody's attempts to kill somebody, it matters whether that person was being driven by the moment or cold-bloodedly planned the murder. It makes a difference in how law assesses and penalizes this behavior. In economics, there was no consideration of motives or emotions.

And then, when I started studying at Harvard for my second Ph.D., the economics Ph.D., I was lucky that there was rising interest in behavioral economics. It was still a time when it was not broadly accepted, when advisers told me that I might not want to go on the job market with behavioral economics research, but it was slowly changing. For me, behavioral economics really clicked. It injected the psychological realism we need to make good predictions and have good suggestions for policy.

Now I'm trying to go beyond that. We see in classical economics the homo economicus who is perfectly optimizing — taking all the information and coming to the perfect decision. Behavioral economics came around and said, well, that's unrealistic. Let's inject some psychological realism. Let's introduce overconfidence, self-control problems, etc. And that was all good.

But here is the thing that was still missing: If you think about the homo economicus as a computer with a program that perfectly solves the problem at hand, behavioral economics was still kind of dealing with humans like computers. They now had flawed software or maybe occasionally short circuited. But however you program them initially — with overconfidence and so on — they are running that program for the rest of their lives.

This newer agenda on experience effects emphasizes much more that, no, humans are not just software, flawed or not flawed. They are living, breathing organisms. As they walk through life, they adapt and change their outlook on the world. That means that we as economists have a lot to learn, not just from social psychology, which was great for behavioral finance, but also from other fields — from neuroscience, from psychiatry, from endocrinology, etc. People who have lived through a monetary or financial crisis come out of that scarring experience with their brains rewired, and they will make different decisions.

They will keep overweighing this outcome happening again. But I think there's much more to learn. For example, the neuropsychiatrists tell us if you do live through a crisis but you feel like "you can do something about your situation" — what they call controllability — then you tend to do better. You don't tend to be so affected, so traumatized by it.

So I'm personally of the opinion that there's robust evidence in medicine, biology, neuropsychiatry, cognitive science, which we haven't incorporated as much as we should. I'm a bit on a mission to get economists more broadly, not just behavioral economists, to open up to that — of course, acknowledging that behavioral economics, the first round, got us a big step forward.

EF: Are there strategies that people can use to overcome the effects of their negative experiences and make better decisions?

Malmendier: Yes, absolutely.

For contrast, let me start, though, from the strategy that a lot of policymakers and economists believe in but that works much less well than we used to think. That strategy is teaching people. That's the strategy I naturally like as a professor. I used to think that if only I teach people about the equity premium puzzle and about diversification, then they will understand they need to put their money in a broadly diversified low-fee fund rather than having it in some savings account, or worse, checking account, etc., and they would all be better off.

Hence the emphasis on financial literacy. But so far, the process has been muted. Now, I still think financial literacy training is useful; it's important. But it tends to be less effective than we professors often hope compared to the effect of personal experiences with the stock market or other financial instruments.

Theoretical knowledge is just less powerful than we used to think. People might not act on information, and it is not because of asymmetric information, frictions, and access to information. All of that exists and is relevant. But even if you have full access to the relevant information, if you've understood it, if you've processed it, you might still not act on it unless you've seen it work in practice.

That brings me to the more direct answer to your question. If you feel that due to past info exposure, you are acting in a somewhat biased way, and you want to remedy it, the best recommendation is to slowly expose yourself to doing the alternative action or environment and personally experience the resulting outcome and in that way rewiring your brain.

From neuroscience, we don't just learn that life experiences rewire our brain and infer that, after a high-inflation period, we might be scared and get triggered when we see price increases. We also learn that throughout our lives, our brain has a high plasticity — maybe less than when we're young, but throughout our lives, we are pruning synapses that we don't need anymore, we are strengthening others, so we can affect how we think about the world. If we manage to expose ourselves to the right setting, that helps us not only to intellectually understand, but almost physically understand, why a certain type of decision is the right one. We change our wiring.

If somebody is really scared about the stock market, doesn't want to go there, the literature on experience-based learning would suggest something like a cognitive behavioral therapy approach. Namely, let's just take $50 or $100 and put it in a broadly diversified low-fee fund. In the worst case, that's not too much loss. After a year, we look back and see what happened to it and realize, huh, that wasn't so scary. That worked out pretty well even at a bad time. That way, we are rewiring our brain and maybe coming around to the conclusion that, to accumulate wealth, we should be doing more of that.

EF: In recent research, you've found that the experience of leading a company during the Great Recession tended to make CEOs age faster. What's going on there?

Malmendier: It's very connected to this high-level view I have of the evolution of what economics is about and should be about. The mind and the body are altered in many ways as we are walking through life. In the work on experience effects, I've mostly looked at how our beliefs are altered and how financial decisions or inflation expectations are then affected. But I mean it quite literally when I say we need to look at mind and body. Leading your company through that stressful period of the Great Recession probably makes you a different person beyond just having more information.

Working with people from our computer science department, I was exposed to machine learning and convolutional neural networks and learned about this subfield that looks at face recognition and visual machine learning. I thought we could apply it to detect signs of stress and aging. That led us to collect pictures of CEOs before and after crises and to show that we actually age in a crisis. In a severe enough crisis — if I take the usual corporate finance definition, the median firm in your industry undergoing a 30 percent or higher stock price decline — it makes you look an additional one year older.

And this visual effect really does seem to translate into effects on your health. While I couldn't get measurements of cortisol levels or heart rates or the like, I was able to get data on longevity. And what we saw is that if you look one year older, you are actually aging faster in the sense that you unfortunately die one year earlier. So it translated pretty much 1-to-1 into longevity.

What I'm hoping is that with this paper, we can further strengthen the point that we need to think about humans with all their biology. We have a lot to learn that's relevant for predicting career paths, education, all the usual outcome variables we economists are interested in.

EF: What are you working on now?

Malmendier: The physical realm of what crises do to you is something that is staying with me. I have been interested in digging deeper. What is the most stressful aspect of it all? What are the actual stressors? In a related project on CEOs, we ask what kinds of specific situations or decisions trigger these adverse effects in your body and on your health. For CEOs, it turns out to be layoff decisions. It's really hard on a leader to have to let a large fraction of their employees go, particularly if they've been with the company for a long time.

Also, going back to the inflation topic: The recent bout of inflation, not just here in the U.S., but also in Europe, has gotten me interested in how the lower-income parts of the population are affected by inflation. When studying inflation and inflation expectations, economists tend to look at the professional forecasters and market participants who have an impact on markets outcomes. The low-income populations are less studied. But they are, of course, the people for whom the marginal price increase in groceries has the highest marginal utility impact.

I'm trying to estimate to what extent inflation affects their consumption behavior. As goods become more expensive, what can they still afford? And what do they want to afford? That is, is the effect of inflation on their spending coming fully, or almost fully, through the channel of constraints, or do beliefs play a role? Also, is there a nonstandard element in their belief formation? There's a lot of research on hand-to-mouth consumers, about adjustment frictions of consumption that could play a role. But present-biased preferences could also play a role; limited attention could play a role.

We got access to a fairly new dataset on low-income consumers and are exploiting the recent bout of inflation as a source of variation. We ran a survey on that sample to tease out what factors play a role. So far, we are finding that, first of all, it's not just all constraints; beliefs do matter. And they are correlated with difficulties in managing debt. People who have difficulties managing their debt are reacting to inflation in an unexpected way, moving further toward overconsuming relative to what the data say they should be doing. This suggests there might be some nonstandard factor at play that got them into difficulties in managing debt to begin with.

That's what the preliminary results suggest. I hope to learn more about this population and the impact of inflation on them.

Present Positions Cora Jane Flood Professor of Finance, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley; Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley; Faculty Director, O'Donnell Center for Behavioral Economics, University of California, Berkeley
Selected Additional Affiliations Research Affiliate, Centre for Economic Policy Research; Faculty Research Fellow, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA); Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research
Education Ph.D. (2002), Harvard University; Ph.D. (2000), University of Bonn; B.A. (1996), University of Bonn; B.A. (1995), University of Bonn

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This collection features research reports and other publications on a wide range of legal topics prepared by the Law Library of Congress in response to requests or recurring interest from Congress and other federal government entities on issues concerning foreign, comparative, and international law (FCIL).. In addition to current research products on FCIL topics, this collection includes ...
Q&A: Legal implications of generative artificial intelligence
Maura R. Grossman, JD, Ph.D., is a Research Professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science, cross-appointed to the School of Public Health Sciences at Waterloo, an Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, and an affiliate faculty member of the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence. She is also a Principal at Maura Grossman Law, an eDiscovery law and consulting firm in Buffalo ...
50 Research Topics For Law Students In August 2022: Read Now!
Our team has meticulously prepared a list of 50 top contemporary topics for research in August 2022 across a number of legal subjects . Happy Researching! Military law. 1. Military Law v. Martial Law: A Comparative Study. 2. Authorities under Military Law in India. 3.
What the data says about abortion in the U.S.
The rate was lowest during the most recent period examined by the agency (2013 to 2020), when there were 0.45 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. The case-fatality rate reported by the CDC was highest during the first period examined by the agency (1973 to 1977), when it was 2.09 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions.
Research will aid law enforcement officer decision-making in high
Stephanie Dailey. Photo by Office of University Branding. Mason College of Education and Human Development professor Stephanie Dailey is serving as the principal investigator on the project and working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, in collaboration with the Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute, a federally ...
Emerging Drug Trends
Emerging drugs have unpredictable health effects. They may be as powerful or more powerful than existing drugs, and may be fatal. Because drug markets change quickly, NIDA supports the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS), which tracks emerging substances. NIDA also advances the science on emerging drugs by supporting research on their ...
Ulrike Malmendier
First/Second Quarter 2024. Over the course of her career, much of the research of University of California, Berkeley economist Ulrike Malmendier has been in the areas of behavioral economics and behavioral corporate finance — looking at the effects of various psychological biases, such as overconfidence, on the decisions of consumers ...
Top 50 Legal Research Topics For June- Read Now
June 16, 2022. If you are a law student and love research, here's our flagship article. In this article, Team YLCC brings you the leading 50 topics for legal research for the month of June. Analysing the on-going Gyanvapi Masjid Case in the light of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. A study on the recent statistics and ...
Copilot Use Cases for Research
Learn how to use Copilot for Microsoft 365 to enhance your research productivity and collaboration. In this recorded webinar session Microsoft's Jim Warner, Nicholas Aquino, and Randall Ykema, show you how Copilot can help you with tasks such as literature review, data analysis, report writing, and more. You will also learn how Copilot can ...

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