Yale Law School’s Avalon Project publishes on the Web historical documents from the fields of law, economics, politics, diplomacy and government. Materials span ancient Greece to contemporary times, and include such pre-Eighteenth Century documents as the Athenian Constitution by Aristotle, the Code of Hammurabi and the Magna Carta. Documents are organized by century, as well as by author, subject and title. Documents are also grouped into major thematic collections, such as “American Diplomacy: Multilateral Treaties 1864-1999,” and “Nuremberg War Crimes Trial.” The entire site can be searched using keywords. The project’s scope is wide-ranging and ambitious. The directors of the site say they intend not merely to post these documents but also to add value by linking to supporting documents referred to in the body of the text.

(Excerpted from the second edition of The Essential Guide to the Best (and Worst) Legal Sites on the Web.)

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Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.