Textbooks for Company Law. Textbooks explain the fundamentals of the law. Company Law books are found in the Library on the Ground floor of the David Hockney Building. The class number is 346.066. For recommended textbooks see the list below, or click here for a link to your online reading list.
Case Books. Case books explain the law through a selection of the key cases of the subject, illustrating legal principles and how decisions are made. The key casebooks for Company Law are Sealey’s Cases and Materials on Company Law, and Hick and Goo's Cases and Materials on Company Law.
Commentary & Encyclopedia. These publications are a useful way to start your research. Halsbury’s Laws is a multi-volume encyclopaedia, shelved is in the reference area of the library or available online via LexisLibrary. It is used by busy practitioners to find out how the law stands at this particular time, with pointers to the key legislation and cases on the topic. Company law information is spread across a number of volumes, so use the index to look up your topic. Westlaw Insight is an online encylopedia on Westlaw, and is a useful starting point if you are new to a subject. The Current Law Yearbooks in the library reference section provide a summary of all cases, legislation and other developments during one year, organised by subject.
Case reports. Law reports are one of the primary sources of English Law, so it is important that you consult the full text of key cases, and don’t just rely on summaries in textbooks. Law Reports publish the key cases in all aspects of law including the English Legal System, in bound volumes arranged by year. Hockney Library holds the All England Law Reports, and the historical set of reports The English Reports are in the Moot court. All these, plus the main set of law reports called The Law Reports, and for specialist reports, are available via LexisLibrary or Westlaw. The key specialist law reports for company law are Butterworth's Company Law Cases, on LexisLibrary.
Journals and Newspapers. Journals provide commentary on cases, and advanced discussion of legal issues. They are published weekly, monthly or quarterly, and the majority are now available online. Recommended titles include Company Lawyer, Company Law Newsletter and Journal of Business Law (on Westlaw).
Practitioner Books. These books are used in practice by solicitors and barristers to advice their clients. The key book is Palmers Company Law which provides a complete commentary and guidance on every part of company law from formation to winding up, and commentary on the changes introduced by the Companies Act 2006. Use it to read more about a key case or topic.
Electronic Databases. These provide access to the full text of journal articles, law reports and legislation. You will be expected to start using these early on, so there are guides and tutorials available on the Law Resources Moodle page. You should try to become familiar in particular with LexisLibrary and Westlaw.
Law Reform. The Law Commission has a section on Commercial and Common Law on it's website where you can see if there are any recent projects on the general area of Company Law.
This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
