Depending on the entity that you work for and the type of work that it does, you may need to research the law across multiple states. For example, if your employer operates in multiple states, you may need research wage and hour laws or data breach notification requirements for all states that your employer operates in and compare key similarities and differences across the states.
Instead of researching each state individually, a 50 state survey on your research topic might already exist. Check the following places before building your own:
For a sample 50 state survey, see Labor & Employment Law – Employee Privacy - Drug & Alcohol Testing.
If you are researching case law across multiple states, an American Law Reports (ALR) article is often the best starting point. ALRs gather, summarize, and analyze case law across state and federal courts on very specific legal issues - typically emerging or rapidly changing areas of law. You won't find an ALR on every topic, but if one is available for your research topic it will be a huge help in jumpstarting your research.
For a sample ALR, see Propriety of Employer's Discharge of or Failure to Hire Employee Due to Employee's Use of Medical Marijuana, 57 A.L.R.6th 285.
If your searches are turning up too many results, try using the American Law Reports Digest or American Law Reports Index to browse for articles on your topic.
