Here are some of the websites which lawyers access when we need information about foreign laws and assistance from foreign lawyers. We suggest you add them to your own database.

INTERNATIONAL AND GENERAL

www.world.altavista.com Babel Fish Translation
Automatic translations of websites and on-line materials. Reasonably accurate with occasionally amusing results.

www.hcch.net The Hague Conference on Private International Law
Full text and signatories to all Hague Conventions. Main homepage has direct link to Child Abduction homepage which includes the Hague Abduction Convention Guide to Good Practice published in 2003.

www.iaml.org International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Still the quickest way to find a foreign family lawyer. Exclusive membership policy means many good family law specialists are not listed. Coverage in many jurisdictions is nil or very limited.

www.incadat.com The International Child Abduction Database
Commentary and judicial decisions on the Hague Abduction Convention. Link to Hague Conference homepage (see above).

www.timeanddate.com/worldclock
Gives the precise local time in most major cities worldwide. Don’t wake up your international client with a call in the middle of the night!

www.unicef.org/crc United Nations Children’s Fund
Text of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by 192 countries (that is, every country except the USA and Somalia).

www.worldlii.org World Legal Information Institute
Portal covering many jurisdictions and practice areas, providing access to statutes, case law and commentary. Provides useful quick link to sibling LII sites including Australasia, UK, Canada and USA.

EUROPE

www.ccbe.org Council of the Bars and Law Societies of the European Union
Representative body for national bars and law societies in the EU and the EEA, covering over 700,000 European lawyers. Links to lawyer organisations in Europe and worldwide, the main EU institutions and general legal resource sites.

www.echr.coe.int European Court of Human Rights
Information, judgments, case summaries (including the 14 year-long McDonalds saga (Steel & Morris v UK).

www.europa.eu.int The European Union
Quick links to EU family law legislation and to case law from the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights.

UNITED KINGDOM

www.bailii.org British and Irish Legal Information Institute (UK and Ireland)
Sibling portal with worldlii.com, austlii.edu.au, etc. Lots of good law links.

www.cafcass.gov.uk Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (England and Wales)
Provides counselling, reports and legal representation in relation to child welfare matters in proceedings arising out of family breakdown (divorce/separation), care and protection and adoption.

www.csa.gov.uk Child Support Agency (UK)
How the UK’s offspring of the Australian original operates. Calculate UK child support online.

www.dca.gov.uk Department of Constitutional Affairs (England and Wales)
Formerly the Lord Chancellor’s Department. Good summaries of the legal system in England and Wales, including courts, text of recent legislation and policy documents such as Green Papers, White Papers, etc. Good links section.

www.legalservices.gov.uk Legal Services Commission (England and Wales)
The national legal aid body. Includes eligibility calculator.

www.offsol.demon.co.uk The Official Solicitor of the Supreme Court and Public Trustee (England and Wales)
Main use for family lawyers is the direct link to the website of the Child Abduction Unit which is the Hague Convention Central Authority for England and Wales. Application questionnaires can be downloaded. Helpful guidance on preventing abduction.

www.sfla.org.uk Solicitors Family Law Association (England and Wales)
Over 5,000 solicitors committed to the original Code of Conduct (which was subsequently adopted in Australia). Links to over 1,000 accredited family law specialists in England and Wales. Australian family lawyers are welcome to join the SFLA: get our bi-monthly Review, online access to policy summaries, etc.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

www.abanet.org American Bar Association
Link to the Section of Family Law and state and territory bar associations. Useful links to help find a good local family lawyer (law firms in the USA are usually highly localised, often choosing not to practise in neighbouring counties). The Section is worth joining for subscriptions to the excellent Family Advocate and Family Law Quarterly, as well as other publications.

www.afccnet.org Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
Founded in California in 1963, the AFCC has since grown to include over 2,000 lawyers, judges and other professionals committed to a constructive approach to the resolution of family conflict. Former Chief Justice Alastair Nicholson is a past President. Join up to receive the Family Courts Review and the AFCC Newsletter. Great conferences!