Holistic and joined-up
Company Law (6th edition)
Professor Brenda Hannigan
£39.99, Oxford University Press
★★★★✩
The fact that this venerable textbook is now on its sixth edition speaks volumes about its relevance and staying power.
It is aimed at students but I can testify that it is also of great use to the private practitioner. This edition is stated to be up to date in terms of the law as at 1 February 2021 and incorporates reference to new case law, and legislative and policy measures and initiatives which have come about since the 5th edition published in 2018.
New cases covered include Okpabi v Royal Dutch Shell and Lungowe v Vedanta Resources plc, both noteworthy decisions on the question of parent liability for torts of subsidiaries. Other new materials include the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 and the UK Corporate Governance Code (2018), the Wates Corporate Governance Principles for Large Private Companies (2018) and the Stewardship Code (2020). The corporate governance sections are particularly strong.
The book is well laid out and easy to navigate with good indexes and footnotes, and helpful references to updates from the previous edition. It is also very readable and treats company law rightly as a living organism relevant to the times and context in which it is set – not just black letter law.
It touches on the government’s (March 2021) White Paper, Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance, but there will be a need in due course to address the consequences of any implementing legislation and procedures which follow.
Though there is much excellent up-to-date online material on UK company law available from various highly rated resources, there is still a place for a textbook such as this one, which gives in-depth analysis of the various aspects of UK company law in holistic and joined- up terms.
Company Law is highly recommended. The only slight caveat being that developments since 1 February 2021 will clearly need to be borne in mind.
David Glass is a consultant solicitor at Excello Law
Filthy Rich Lawyers: The Education of Ryan Coleman
Brian Felgoise and David Tabatsky
£15.99, Speaking Volumes Inc
This is an unusual novel about an ambitious young lawyer who wants to be successful and rich.
It starts in Texas with the first of several memorable scenes. The hero is heading to a hearing where everything is agreed and the judge just needs to rubber-stamp the settlement. What could go wrong? The near disaster is beautifully described.
The hero is about to take his first steps in multi-million-dollar class actions. He is dragged, not reluctantly, into a world of greed and excess.
Along the way we meet characters who are interesting in different ways. Filthy Rich Lawyers is inspired by the career of Felgoise, who has recovered billions for clients. The figures mentioned are staggering, as are the lawyer lifestyles. It is different to anything else you will read this year.
The novel is a satire and must be read as such. It highlights the temptations facing the legal profession in any country. I cannot remember when I was taken for a helicopter ride by a client but I suppose it must happen to some people. I found the bad language unnecessary and off-putting, but overall this is unique and fascinating look at US class actions. I look forward to the next books in this series.
David Pickup is a partner at Pickup & Scott Solicitors, Aylesbury
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