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Securities Law (U.S. and International) Research Guide

This guide is a starting point for research in securities law, covering U.S. federal, U.S. state, international, and foreign securities law.

Getting Started with Securities Law

This guide is intended as a starting point for research in securities law at the Georgetown Law Library. It includes both primary and secondary materials, in both print and electronic formats. It covers U.S. federal, U.S. state, international, and foreign securities law.

Black's Law Dictionary defines a security as: "An instrument that evidences the holder's ownership rights in a firm (e.g., a stock), the holder's creditor relationship with a firm or government (e.g., a bond), or the holder's other rights (e.g., an option)."

SECURITY, Black's Law Dictionary (11th ed. 2019)

An instrument that evidences the holder's ownership rights in a firm (e.g., a stock), the holder's creditor relationship with a firm or government (e.g., a bond), or the holder's other rights (e.g., an option).
 
An instrument that evidences the holder's ownership rights in a firm (e.g., a stock), the holder's creditor relationship with a firm or government (e.g., a bond), or the holder's other rights (e.g., an option).
 
An instrument that evidences the holder's ownership rights in a firm (e.g., a stock), the holder's creditor relationship with a firm or government (e.g., a bond), or the holder's other rights (e.g., an option).
 

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a security as: "Chiefly in plural. Originally: a document held by a creditor as a guarantee of the right to payment, or attesting ownership of property, stock, bonds, etc.; (hence) the financial asset represented by such a document. Also (originally and chiefly U.S.): such a document issued to investors to finance a business venture."

security (n.), sense II.5.e, Oxford English Dictionary (last visited Mar. 13, 2024).

Key Resources

Additional Library Guides for Securities Research

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