First bilingual legal research book published in China, written by Thomson Reuters Chang Wang
China University of Political Science and Law Press, a leading legal publisher in China, just published a bilingual (English and Chinese) legal research textbook based on West’s Analysis of American Law/Key Number System and WestlawNext. This 700-page textbook is the first bilingual textbook of legal research in American law. The author, Chang Wang, is the Chief Research and Academic Officer at Thomson Reuters. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School, where he “found and read the law,” and as such, he dedicated the book to the school (and to Thomson Reuters). Wang is the second Chinese national ever elected to the prestigious American Law Institute (ALI) and holds associate and adjunct professorships at six universities in the U.S., China, Italy, and Switzerland.
Rick King, chief operating officer, Technology, at Thomson Reuters, and Joan Howland, Roger F. Noreen professor of Law and associate dean for Information & Technology at the University of Minnesota Law School, authored forewords. Fred Gordon, former editor-in-chief, U.S. Legal Publications of Thomson Reuters, authored an important introduction.
The book consists of three parts: 1) A monograph on legal research in American law; 2) Annotated materials of selected U.S. legal documents: primary authorities such as the U.S. Constitution, Constitution of Minnesota, federal statute, federal regulations, federal procedural rules, leading U.S. Supreme Court cases, as well as representative secondary
Legal Research in American Law, by Chang Wang, China University of Political Science and Law Press, 2014.
authorities such as American Jurisprudence, Corpus Juris Secundum , Black’s Law Dictionary, Key Number Digest, and USCA (most of them are Thomson Reuters proprietary information and available on WestlawNext); 3) Legal Information Tools and Reports: United States Code, Federal Judicial Circuits and Federal District Courts, National Reporter System, West Outline of the Law, West Key Number System, U.S. Supreme Court Review, Minnesota Supreme Court Review, American Law Institute, and the history of West Publishing.
This is the companion book to an upper-level law school course, “Legal Research in American Law: The Westlaw Approach,” taught by Wang at top law schools in the U.S., China, and Europe. His lectures and training sessions on WestlawNext have also been viewed widely online on Chaoxing Academic Videos, a premier online learning provider in China. Simultaneous to the publication of the textbook, Erya Education, another leading online learning platform, launched a 36-hour WestlawNext training course taught by Wang.
Upon the launching of Wang’s online course and the publication of the textbook, Che Hu, head of the Legal business of Thomson Reuters Global Growth and Operations, China, said: “Legal research is the foundation of the study of law, and Chang Wang’s online course is one of the best I have seen for this important topic. This online course and textbook will also help Chinese law students better understand how to use Westlaw and strengthen Thomson Reuters market position in academic institutions and beyond.”
Dean Joan Howland praised the book: “Comprehensive in scope and concise in presentation, Chang Wang’s book is an invaluable addition to the broader body of literature on legal research in American law. One of the many strengths of this book is the roadmap it provides lawyers and students of how to develop an efficient research strategy that ensures a comprehensive, cost-effective result. This book provides lawyers, faculty, and students with the foundation and tools needed to not simply succeed, but to excel.”
The book is ranked number five on Amazon China’s best-selling foreign law books list and has been adopted by a number of top law schools in China as the official textbook on legal research.
“With my lectures and this new volume, Thomson Reuters offers Chinese legal professionals and law students a comprehensive overview of the American legal information and the best way to find the law,” said Wang. “I firmly believe, under the wise leadership of Mr. David Liu and Mr. Che Hu, Thomson Reuters China Legal business will see more fruitful and productive collaborations with Chinese judiciary and the legal community in the coming days.”
On July 4, 2014, Wang delivered a lecture at China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing. The lecture entitled, “The Last Lecture in China: To the Next Generation of International Lawyers,” was given to the class of “Legal Research in American Law: The Westlaw Approach.” A copy of the lecture can be found here.
