How to Access Free and Low-Cost Legal Resources for COVID-19 Related Matters
A Bird's Eye View of Selected Resources
1. The Facts, Maps & Data 2. Timelines 3. News 4. Social Media (Twitter & Legal Blogs) 5. Legal Databases and Portals 6. U.S. Federal Resources Executive Legislative Judicial 7. New York Resources 8. Local Law Sources 9. 50-State Resources 10. International and Foreign Sources 11. Academic & Analytical Resources 12. Research Guides
1. The Facts, Maps & Data
The coronavirus impacts every aspect of our lives and society across the globe. This is illustrated by a series of live charts produced by LexisNexis, a major aggregator of news sources worldwide:
COVID-19 and the Global Media Landscape A Global Media and News Tracker from Nexis Newsdesk™ https://bis.lexisnexis.com/COVID-19?utm_source=Digital&utm_medium=Digital
COVID-19 and the Risk Landscape A Global Media & News Tracker from Nexis Newsdesk™ https://bis.lexisnexis.com/COVID_19pestlerisk
Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count (NYT) https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
Health Map of COVID-19 https://www.healthmap.org/covid-19/ Worldwide coverage from Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Open COVID-19 Data Curation Group collected from publicly available sources including government reports and news media. Datasets and resources can be found in GitHub.
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard (WHO) https://covid19.who.int/
Coronavirus Research Center (Johns Hopkins University & Medicine) https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html Covering: U.S. and Global Maps & Trends, Testing, Tracing, News & Information, COVID-19 Basics, and Videos & Live Events
COVID-19 Data Resource Center (LexisNexis Risk Solutions) https://covid19.lexisnexisrisk.com/ This site provides free "county-level insights on at-risk populations and potential care capacity gaps to support the U.S. healthcare industry's response to the COVID-19 pandemic."
2. Timelines
A Timeline of the Coronavirus Pandemic (NYT) By Derrick Bryson Taylor (subscription may be required to view) https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-timeline.html
Timeline of WHO’s response to COVID-19 (WHO) https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/29-06-2020-covidtimeline
COVID-19 — a [worldwide] timeline of the coronavirus outbreak (Devex) https://www.devex.com/news/covid-19-a-timeline-of-the-coronavirus-outbreak-96396
3. News
Law360 - Coronavirus Special Report https://www.law360.com/coronavirus Free access to all the latest coverage of the coronavirus by Law360. Includes: The Latest Court Closures and Restrictions; How Law Firms Are Handling The Downturn
New York Times: The Coronavirus Outbreak https://www.nytimes.com/news-event/coronavirus Latest Updates, Maps and Cases, Reopenings and Closings, Risk Factors for Covid-19 Death
Google News – Coronavirus – Latest Top News & International https://news.google.com/topics/CAAqBwgKMJy5lwswj-KuAw?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen • Latest - Top News, Local News, In-Depth, Economic impact, Science & Research, Healthcare Impact, Travel Impact, & More News • International - Regions: Africa, Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia, & Western Pacific & More Stories
Microsoft News: Coronavirus (COVID-19) https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/coronavirus?ocid=spartanntp State-by-state coronavirus news https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/state-by-state-coronavirus-news/ar-BB13E1PX?ocid=spartanntp
Devex: COVID-19: All our coronavirus coverage in one place: news, jobs, funding https://www.devex.com/focus/covid-19
4. Social Media (Twitter & Legal Blogs)
Twitter – COVID-19 Updates for the U.S. https://twitter.com/explore/tabs/covid-19
Twitter Search https://twitter.com/explore
Twitter Advanced Search Page https://twitter.com/search-advanced?lang=en
Trump Twitter Archive http://www.trumptwitterarchive.com/
DOJ says Trump's tweets are official presidential statements Lorelei Laird, ABA Journal, November 14, 2017 https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/government_says_trumps_tweets_are_official_presidential_statements
Google Search: trump tweet official statement site:justice.gov
Justia Blawg Search https://blawgsearch.justia.com/
SEARCH: covid ( then, sort by date ) SEARCH: covid “new york”
Law Professor Blog Network (Search) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/
5. Legal Databases and Portals
LexisNexis Global COVID-19 Resources https://www.lexisnexis.com/global/covid-19.page?int-camp=coronavirus-0427-globalhub-button1-H01 Global coverage includes the Nexis Newsdesk Live Tracker; Market Insight; and COVID-19 and the risk landscape. United States coverage includes Intelligize Insight & Analysis; Law360 COVID-19 News & Analysis; Lexis Practice Advisor Coronavirus Resource Kit; LexisNexis State Net and COVID-19 Government Updates; and Nexis Newsdesk Higher Education Tracker. Foreign coverage includes COVID resources for Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Japan.
Westlaw Global Coronavirus toolkit https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en/resources/covid-19.html#legal-us Includes some Global Resources, a selection of United States resources on Antitrust, Arbitration, Capital Markets & Corporate Governance, Commercial Transactions, Corporate and M&A, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Finance & Financial Regulation, Government, Intellectual Property & Technology, Labor & Employment, Law Department, Life Sciences, Litigation, Real Estate, and Trusts & Estates. The United Kingdom Resources cover Arbitration, Business Crime & Investigations, Charities, Commercial, and Competition.
FastCase COVID-19 resource hub http://www.fastcase.com/covid19/ Links to Skopos Federal Legislative Response to Coronavirus; Docket Alarm; Coronavirus Resources for Employers - from Littler; ABA Coronavirus Task Force; COVID-19 resource Center from AILA; and more.
DocketAlarm https://www.docketalarm.com/search/?q=%28covid-19+or+coronavirus%29+last%3A30days Enhanced Free Access During COVID-19 -- 15 free searches and document/docket views a week, for documents that are already in our system.
Bloomberg Law Essential Covid-19 Resources for Attorneys https://pro.bloomberglaw.com/coronavirus/ The latest legal and business coronavirus news and analysis, plus Practical Guidance for employers and attorneys Coronavirus (Covid-19) Toolkit https://www.bloomberglaw.com/product/health/page/pg_coronavirus
Wolters Kluwer COVID-19 (Coronavirus) resources for legal, health and compliance professionals https://lrus.wolterskluwer.com/campaign/coronavirus-resources-tools-covid-19/ Includes frequently updated news, laws, guidance and analysis in a number of specialized areas. Also features the Cheetah COVID-19 State & Federal Compare Smart Chart™ https://lrus.wolterskluwer.com/store/cheetah-covid-19-state-federal-compare-smart-chart/ It selectively covers Banking & Finance, Education, Executive Orders and Proclamations, Federal CARES Act and State Stimulus Programs, Health & Infectious Disease, Labor & Employment/HR & Benefits, Securities, Small Business Administration, and Tax.
Stanford Law School's COVID-19 Memo Database & Firm Resources Database http://covidmemo.law.stanford.edu/ (Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University and Cornerstone Research) The COVID-19 Memo Database allows the user to search COVID-19-related memoranda created by law firms, the “Big Four” audit firms, and others. Areas covered include tax, antitrust, employment, and contract law, and more. The COVID-19 Firm Resources Database includes a list of firms represented in the Memo Database, with links to their dedicated COVID resource webpages.
6. U.S. Federal Resources
Executive
White House Coronavirus Task Force https://www.coronavirus.gov/ latest official information
Whitehouse Guidelines: Opening Up America Again https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/
Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19 Top U.S. Government Websites for COVID-19 Information https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus Areas covered include: Health and Safety, Travel, Immigration, and Transportation, Money and Taxes, Education, Scams and Fraud, Benefits and Grants, Housing, Federal Building Status Updates and National Parks, Voting and Elections, Courts, Communications, Businesses, International Cooperation, Cybersecurity, and Federal Workforce.
GOOGLE SEARCH: visa student university online site:ice.gov
Silencing Science Tracker https://climate.law.columbia.edu/Silencing-Science-Tracker This site " tracks government attempts to restrict or prohibit scientific research, education or discussion, or the publication or use of scientific information, since the November 2016 election." SEARCH Keyword filter: covid
Legislative
The Federal Legislative Response to Coronavirus (Skopos Labs) https://coronavirus.skoposlabs.com/ This site tracks federal U.S. policy-making related to COVID-19, including legislative activity and regulatory activity from 200 federal agencies.
Congress.gov https://www.congress.gov/ The official website for U.S. federal legislative information.
SEARCH “legislation”: coronavirus (then filter “Status of Legislation” = Became Law)
Federal Coronavirus Legislation passed as of July 13, 2020:
A bill to extend the authority for commitments for the paycheck protection program and separate amounts authorized for other loans under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act, and for other purposes. Public Law No: 116-147 (Enacted 07-04-2020)
Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 Public Law No: 116-142 (Enacted 06-05-2020)
Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 Public Law No: 116-140 (Enacted 04-28-2020)
Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act Public Law No: 116-139 (Enacted 04-24-2020)
CARES Act Public Law No: 116-136 (Enacted 03-27-2020)
Families First Coronavirus Response Act Public Law No: 116-127 (Enacted-03-18-2020)
Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 Public Law No: 116-123 (Enacted 03-06-2020) Judicial
United States Courts https://www.uscourts.gov/
Court Orders and Updates During COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/court-website-links/court-orders-and-updates-during-covid19- pandemic
COVID-19 Impact Analyzer https://www.deweybstrategic.com/2020/06/lex-machina-launches-covid-19-impact-analyzer-app-free-to-public- webinar-today.html Federal District Court COVID-19 metrics. Cases are categorized by practice area based on claims in the pleadings documents, rather than based solely on “Nature of Suit” codes in PACER.
COVID-19 Case Tracking Research (Perkins Coie) https://www.perkinscoie.com/images/content/2/3/v12/234690/Perkins-Coie-Client-Advantage-COVID-Case- Tracking-Research-Exter.pdf This document summarizes the impact of COVID-19 on cases filed in 2,613 state and 148 federal courts. It outlines current trends, based on CourthouseNews (CNS) information 3/1/2020, to 6/16/2020.
7. N.Y. State Resources
NYS Governor’s Office https://www.governor.ny.gov/
Sign Up For Coronavirus Updates https://now.ny.gov/page/s/coronavirus-updates
Executive Orders https://www.governor.ny.gov/executiveorders
Legislation - Bills and Memos from the Office of the Governor of New York https://www.governor.ny.gov/legislation
NY Forward: A Guide to Reopening New York & Building Back Better (156 pp.) https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYForwardReopeningGuide.pdf Reopening New York https://forward.ny.gov/
What You Need to Know - Know your rights https://forward.ny.gov/know-your-rights
Statewide Guidelines https://forward.ny.gov/statewide-guidelines
NYS Department of Health -- Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
NYS Offices and Agencies (Directory) http://ww2.nycourts.gov/lawlibraries/nyofficesagencies.shtml
NYS Senate – COVID-19 Updates https://www.nysenate.gov/issues/covid-19 News, Legislation, and Events.
NYS Assembly – Coronavirus Updates https://nyassembly.gov/coronavirus/
NYS Assembly, COVID-19 Clips (Agriculture) https://nyassembly.gov/comm/Agri/20200417/ Stories on food & farming from NYS and beyond
Coronavirus & the NYS Courts https://www.nycourts.gov/index.shtml
8. Local Law Resources
NYS County Health Departments (Directory) https://www.health.ny.gov/contact/contact_information/
Erie County, NY Department of Health » Coronavirus https://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=coronavirus
Erie County, NY Department of Health https://www2.erie.gov/health/
Erie County Emergency Orders https://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=covid-19-erie-county-emergency-orders
City of Buffalo, NY COVID-19 Resources https://covid19.buffalony.gov/
NYC Government Websites - Search https://www1.nyc.gov/home/search/index.page
NYC COVID-19 Citywide Information Portal https://www1.nyc.gov/site/coronavirus/index.page
9. 50-State Resources
State Action on Coronavirus (COVID-19) National Conference of State Legislatures https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-action-on-coronavirus-covid-19.aspx
A State-by-State Look at Coronavirus in Prisons The Marshall Project is collecting data on COVID-19 infections in state and federal prisons. See how the virus has affected correctional facilities where you live. Coronavirus • Updated 6:00 P.M. 06.04.2020 https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/05/01/a-state-by-state-look-at-coronavirus-in-prisons
Council of State Governments - COVID-19 Resources for State Leaders https://web.csg.org/covid19/ Resources include: State COVID-19 Cases; Legislative Sessions & Resources; State Executive Orders; CSG News & Resources; Blog; State Courts; Elections; State Reopen Plans; Data & Prediction Models; Resources; State Resources & Restrictions; Federal Resources; International Cases of COVID-19; and Additional Resources.
COVID-19 Pandemic –United States Shelter-in-Place / Reopening Tracker (Baker McKenzie) https://www.bakermckenzie.com/- /media/files/insight/publications/2020/06/covid19_us_shelterinplace__reopening_tracker_26062020.pdf This resource identifies and links to state-wide shelter-in-place orders and their expiration dates, and applicable state-wide reopening plans for all 50 states plus Washington, D.C.
COVID-19 Related Eviction and Foreclosure Orders/Guidance 50-State Tracker (Perkins Coie) https://www.perkinscoie.com/en/news-insights/covid-19-related-eviction-and-foreclosure-ordersguidance-50- state-tracker.html This chart, updated daily, links to state laws, rules, orders, decrees, and other documents related to eviction and foreclosure.
Summary of State taxing authority responses to the COVID-19 pandemic (EY) 04/03/2020 file:///C:/Users/ncascio/AppData/Local/Temp/Tax+Alert+2020- 0873_Summary+of+state+responses+to+COVID-19.pdf
Coronavirus Regulations: A State-By-State Week In Review (State Net via LexisNexis) https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/products/state-net/coronavirus-legislative-and-regulatory-updates.page
July 2020 Bar Exam Status by Jurisdiction http://www.ncbex.org/ncbe-covid-19-updates/july-2020-bar-exam-jurisdiction-information/ http://www.ncbex.org/ncbe-covid-19-updates/july-2020-bar-exam-jurisdiction-information/status-table/
American Health Law Association https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/publications/health-law-hub-current-topics/coronavirus-pandemic
National Association of Insurance Commissioners: NAIC Coronavirus Resource Center https://content.naic.org/naic_coronavirus_info.htm
10. International and Foreign Resources
COVID-19 response trackers https://www.ey.com/en_gl/tax A snapshot of policy changes in jurisdictions around the world in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Reports include: COVID-19: How are governments responding to the call for stimulus? How COVID-19 is disrupting immigration policies and worker mobility: a tracker Track COVID-19’s effects on tax deadlines, collections and enforcement How COVID-19 is affecting global mobility: an EY response tracker COVID-19: How countries are adjusting their transfer pricing approach How COVID-19 is affecting customs and excise taxes: a global trade tracker
Asian legal responses to Covid-19 (AALL FCIL-SIS Asian Law Interest Group ) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPMQydTj- j9Z6FJaE7qjkU0l0szyjy5CysJXwbohQFgNaa5w/viewform
New Report: Virtual Civil Trials (Law Library of Congress) https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2020/06/new-report-virtual-civil-trials/ 25 foreign jurisdictions and details the rules regarding remote and virtual hearings, including changes made in response to COVID-19
Global Legal Monitor (Law Library of Congress) https://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/ Summarizes and cites to new laws around the world. Topic: Epidemics http://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/topic/epidemics/
Fighting Pandemics: Foreign and International legislative Frameworks (Library of Congress) https://www.loc.gov/law/learning/webinar-archive.php
Directory of United Nations System Organizations http://www.unsceb.org/directory
GOOGLE SEARCH: covid site:int
United Nations Coronavirus Global Health Emergency https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus
United Nations COVID-19 Response https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/information-un-system
WHO https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
11. Academic Research & Analysis
Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/ Search the full text of articles, with limited free access to the full text of selected articles on COVID-19 from CDC, NEJM, JAMA, Lancet, Cell, BMJ, Nature, Science, Elsevier, Oxford, Wiley, and medRxiv.
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Search https://crsreports.congress.gov/ The CRS is a non-partisan research service available to members of Congress and their staffs. Their publications are searchable and available in full text.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) https://crsreports.congress.gov/Content/html/covid19.html A list of published research products (with links to full text) related to COVID-19 prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Organization of Reports on this page: Overview, Global Issues, Public Health, Economic Impacts on Individuals, Impacts on Business and the U.S. Economy, Executive Branch Response, Congressional Response and Legislation, and Legal Analyses.
COVID-19 Products by Issue Area https://crsreports.congress.gov/resources/covid19/ Documents organized by area: Agriculture and Food; Appropriations; Banking & Finance; Commerce & Small Business; Congressional Process, Administration, & Elections; Defense & Intelligence; Education; Energy & Natural Resources; Environmental Policy; Federal Government Operations & Rulemaking: Federal Judiciary & Constitutional Law; Foreign Affairs; Health Care; Homeland Security & Immigration; Justice & Law Enforcement; Science & Technology; Social Security & Social Insurance; Social Welfare & Housing; Taxes, the Budget, & the Economy; Trade &International Finance; Transportation; Veterans; and Workforce & Labor.
HeinOnline This is a subscription database with a vast array of legal information, free ($600 value) to paid members of the UB Law School Alumni Association. (Go to https://www.law.buffalo.edu/alumni/membership.html to join). Contents include full text law journals, full text bar journals, New York Research Library, a vast array of federal resources, and much more. Full text; pdfs of original documents.
Annotated Bibliography of COVID-19 Legal Literature (Melbourne Law School COVID-19 Research Network) By Robin Gardner https://law.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/3396577/MLS-COVID-19-Research-Network-Combined- Bibliography-Updated1June2020.pdf This regularly updated bibliography includes three parts: Part A- scholarly literature; Part B- selected organisations with dedicated COVID-19 coverage; Part C- blogs or other online fora
COVID-19 and the Law: A Compilation of Legal Resources (April 27, 2020) by Jonathan G. Odom, SSRN https://ssrn.com/abstract=3588225 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3588225
Law in the Time of COVID-19 (E-Book) By Katharina Pistor, ed., Columbia Law School https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/books/240/ Chapters by Columbia Law School faculty as well as professors from other law schools: 1. Covid-19 and Prisoners’ Rights (211 KB) 2. Linked Fate: Justice and the Criminal Legal System During the COVID-19 Pandemic (213 KB) 3. Immigration in the Time of COVID-19 (171 KB) 4. COVID-19 and the Law: Elections (179 KB) 5. The New “Essential”: Rethinking Social Goods in the Wake of COVID-19 (174 KB) 6. Public Health Law Tools: A Brief Guide (134 KB) 7. Child Welfare and COVID-19: An Unexpected Opportunity for Systemic Change (161 KB) 8. Emergency Exemptions From Environmental Laws (128 KB) 9. Privacy and Pandemics (189 KB) 10. COVID-19 and LGBT Rights (202 KB) 11. How to Help Small Businesses Survive COVID-19 (213 KB) 12. Bankruptcy’s Role in the COVID-19 Crisis (207 KB) 13. COVID-19 as a Force Majeure in Corporate Transactions (477 KB) 14. A Comparative Perspective on Commercial Contracts and the Impact of COVID-19: Change of Circumstances, Force Majeure, or What? (191 KB) 15. Dispute Resolution in Pandemic Circumstances (153 KB) 16. Driver for Contactless Payments (150 KB) Appendix 1: COVID Legal Alerts from Top 20 Law Firms + CPRBLOG Organized by TOC (236 KB) Appendix 2: New York-Based Legal Information (131 KB) Appendix 3: Rules Regarding Medical Labs Running COVID-19 Tests (111 KB) Appendix 4: Additional Resources (148 KB)
Uncharted territory: Legal experts weigh in on the COVID-19 outbreak https://today.law.harvard.edu/roundup/uncharted-territory-legal-experts-weigh-in-on-the-covid-19-outbreak/ Articles and op-eds by Harvard legal scholars address legal and policy issues resulting from the global pandemic, and how local, state and world governments are responding.
The Unprecedented Challenge of COVID-19: Findings from the 2020 MLA/ATL Law Firm Associate Survey https://www.mlaglobal.com/en/knowledge-library/research/associate-satisfaction-regarding-firms-response-to- covid-19 The COVID-19 global pandemic has forced law firms to adapt quickly. Major, Lindsey & Africa and Above the Law conducted a survey of law firm associates in April 2020. This report illustrates how law firms and individual associates are coping right now and how they are viewing prospects for the future. Fill out a form for a free copy.
Free Specialized Search Engines:
Law Commons http://network.bepress.com/law/
Digital Commons Network http://network.bepress.com/
Think Tank Search (Harvard Kennedy School) https://guides.library.harvard.edu/hks/think_tank_search
IGO Search Engine https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=006748068166572874491:55ez0c3j3ey
NGO Search Engine https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=012681683249965267634%3Aq4g16p05-ao
12. Research Guides
Law in the Time of COVID-19 (Course - University of Washington Law Library) https://guides.lib.uw.edu/law/covid19#s-lg-box-23436449
Evaluating COVID-19 information / Fact Checking U of Washington https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/covid19/evaluating
Coronavirus Resource Guide (Law Library of Congress) by Margaret Wood, March 20, 2020 https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2020/03/coronavirus-resource-guide/
Legal Issues Related to the COVID-19 Outbreak: An Overview (CRS) CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Updated June 12, 2020 https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10433
COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus) Research Guide (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/library/researchguides/2019NovelCoronavirus.html
Nina Cascio Charles B. Sears Law Library SUNY Buffalo [email protected]
Law Library Homepage: https://law.lib.buffalo.edu/ Research Help: https://law.lib.buffalo.edu/research/ask/