来源： 廖悦悦《如何进行法律研究》

From：How to Do a Legal Research, written by Yueyue Liao

法律研究是律师的基本功，是律师日常工作中躲不掉的一关，在此提供一些基本思路和方法.

Legal research is the basic skill of a lawyer, which is unescapable process in a lawyer's routine works. Here are some basic idears and methods.

首先，理解所研究的法律问题

First, understand the legal issue that you are studying

（一）主动询问背景信息和确认问题的细节

One. 

Actively, ask for the background  information and confirm the details of the problem

接受问题的律师在没有明确问题或者不懂得背景的时候，应该主动地询问。即使是因为交代问题的律师很忙，无法给你详细的解释，他可能也会在你提问后给你一个方向，或者告知你可以参考的材料，以便自学。

When the lawyer hasn't confirmed the problem or doesn't know the background when he/she confronts the problem, lawyer should do the inquiry actively. Even if the superior lawyer is busy and there is no time for detailed explanation to you, the superior lawyer may probably gives you a direction after you inquiry, or he/she may tell you some references and materials so that you can learn by yourself.

（1）复述所需要研究的问题以确认是否正确；

Retail the target problem that needed to be studied, confirm whether it is correct;

（2）询问项目的大致进展；

Ask about the general progress of the program;

（3）索取基本的文件和资料作为参考；

Seek for basic document and materials for reference;

（4）在不太困难的情况下作问题的假设以确认研究的范围；

Hypothesis for the problem to confirm the range to study, if the situation is not too difficult;

（5）询问是否需要同时研究相关的问题

Ask whether there is relevant problems needed to be studied at the same time.

（二）明确核心问题

Two.

Identify your core problem (essential question)

要对关键问题做一个定义很困难，笔者的理解是，关键问题的研究结果，通常能够决定一个法律问题是否还需要进一步研究，进一步研究的方向是什么，以及最终研究的结果是否切中要害。就好像走在迷宫中，只有在一个分岔路口找对了方向，才能最终找到出口。

It is very difficult to define "core problem". To my understanding, the research result of the core problem, it is generally able to decide whether a legal problem needs further research, or the direction for next step of the research, and moreover, whether the final research result can kick the key point. Just like walking through the labyrinth, only when you find the correct direction at a certain diverge way, you are able to find the way out at last.

（三）全面地看问题

Look at the problem from all angles

我们在法学院读书时，是把法律隔开来读的，在现实生活中，同一个法律问题可能受制于不同领域的法律，律师需要考虑在那个领域法律下的答复。以“一个外国房地产基金可否按份发给一个中国境内的自然人”这个问题为例，我们首先需要了解基金发行发行的整个过程，把图画出来，看每一步涉及什么法律，这样才能找到法律的节点。

When we at law schools, we usually study laws separately. In real life, one legal problem may be restrained by different ranges of laws, so lawyer need to consider: to response in which area of law. For example, in the question of "Can foreign real estate fund be distributed to a person in China by shares?", we need to know the whole operation progress of a fund, draw the outline, to see what laws may be involved, which we can find the connection of laws.

Q：那么，如何在有限的时间内，得到一个比较满意的答案？

Q: Then, how to gain a satisfying answer in the limited time?

A:笔者认为，一方面，可以先在网上搜索一下相关的论文或案例，了解问题的宏观背景，研究有哪几类规定，即先研究“大法”。另一方面，研究的“深度”则是根据客户的要求和案件的安排来确定的，需要和交代法律问题的律师进行沟通。要切中要害，就要尽早确认：客户的关注点是什么。

A: To my understanding, on the one hand, you can search for relevant essays and cases on the Internet, so that  you can know the macro-background, find out how may types of regulations, which means study "Grand laws" first. On the other hand, the depth of your research is rely on your client's request and the arrangement of the case, and you need to discuss with your senior lawyer. To kick the key point, you have to make sure as early as possible: what is your client focusing on.