We look at ten essential law books that can help new or experienced lawyers deep dive into their various practice areas and keep up to date with the latest legal developments.
Success in law depends on a deep knowledge of your practice area. That’s not an easy task, as all areas of law are subject to constant change and evolution. Thus all lawyers, whether just starting out or approaching the end of their careers, need to keep up to date with the latest legal information, use all the best tools available, and broadly analyse the many specific issues relating to their practice areas.
There are plenty of ways to stay ahead of the knowledge curve. You can attend conferences and events, read blogs that cover your general practice area, sign up for newsletters, take advantage of legal research platforms, join groups and initiatives dedicated to relevant subjects, and so on.
But one of the best ways to stay informed is to immerse yourself in the latest in-depth literature, to spend time with law books. With that in mind, we want to explore ten of the best books on the market, covering an array of different practice areas and helping lawyers kickstart their legal reading.
The first recommendation, Stone’s Justices’ Manual, offers the most authoritative and comprehensive reference source in its field, complete with three essential volumes that provide the most reliable and current coverage of all changes affecting magistrates’ courts, including criminal procedure.
The latest edition includes new case law and new legal updates on offences and principles of criminal liability, practice and procedure, evidence, sentencing, youth courts, general legislation, and so much more. Now in its 154th edition, it is the sort of book that many lawyers cannot do without.
The Green Book, or The Civil Court Practice 2023, is well known as the definitive guide to bringing, defending, and appealing civil proceedings. The Green Book provides focussed and authoritative coverage of civil court practice from a variety of experts, including Lord Justices of Appeal and District Judges, and remains fully cross-referenced to Butterworths Civil Court Precedents.
Erskine May: Parliamentary Practice is an absolutely essential guide for any lawyers working in or around Parliament. The brilliant book provides accurate and detailed information on the constituent parts of Parliament, its powers and jurisdictions, financial procedure, and the process of debate.
The latest edition includes a new chapter on ‘English Votes for English Laws’ introduced after the 2015 General Election, information on the process of implementing the outcome 2016 referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, discussion of the further consequences of the coalition government, an overview of the introduction of an e-petitions system, and so much more.
Bennion on Statutory Interpretation provides a clear and comprehensive guide to analysing, understanding, interpreting, and applying legislation. The book is often employed by legal practitioners, as well as academics, and has been regularly cited in common law judgments.
The new edition has been restructured and rewritten to improve the accessibility and generally enhance the content. Each section now begins with a succinct legal proposition, followed by a more detailed commentary and interpretation of that proposition. Extensive examples are then employed to further illustrate the application of the principles discussed in the text.
Bennison is a user-friendly guide to interpretation and application, essential for all practicing lawyers.
The Family Court Practice 2023 covers a range of family business law and contains all the key information that lawyers need to practice in Family Court. The book includes the latest case law, full coverage of new and amended legislation, practice guidance and practice directions, and much more.
The latest edition comes complete with fully and expertly annotated statutes and rules, unique step-by-step procedural guides, updated commentary throughout, and an impressive online archive. It is, in short, an accessible but nonetheless essential resource for lawyers practicing Family Law.
Harvey on Industrial Relations and Employment Law consists of six detailed binders, covering every element of industrial relations and employment law. The book purposely aims to simplify, with in-depth analysis of the latest legal changes and clarification of obscure passages and points of difficulty.
The texts of all relevant statutes are set out in full, with detailed and accessible annotations for employment lawyers. The latest edition includes, among other things, a comprehensive division of precedents, a new chapter on the Modern Slavery Act 2015, an accompanying CD-ROM, and so on.
Tristram and Coote is the ultimate guide to probate, to which the Probate Registries extensively refers. The book contains up to date guidance on all elements of probate procedure, discussions on how to handle new forms for legal professionals PA1P and PA1A, advice from legal experts, and much more.
Williams on Wills is the leading text in the area of wills. The book consists of two essential volumes. The first volume includes the latest case law updates, additional commentary on digital assets, new information and general guidance around the Covid-19 attestation rules, and so much more.
The second volume comprises of an extensive collection of gold standard precedents both for complete wills and clauses used in wills, inclusion of the new residence nil rate band (RNRB) precedents, an in-depth discussion of the impact of Brexit, and so much more.
Butterworth Employment Handbook is a vital reference source of full-updated statutory, non-statutory, and European materials relating to employment law in England and Wales and Scotland.
The latest edition of the book includes significant changes to the organisation and procedures of Employment tribunals, information on the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill, information on the implementation of parts of the Trade Union Act 2016, and so much more.
Butterworth Company Handbook is a must-have Blue Book. The book combines information on statutes, statutory instruments, and retained European legislation, and is broadly considered the essential reference work for corporate lawyers, accountants, tax advisers, regulators, and students.
Lexis+® UK offers is known for providing quick and accurate answers using practical guidance and leading legal content. It allows lawyers to start with a natural language search or question and offers loads of incredible optimisation features that help lawyers quickly sift through essential sources.
But the tool also has more in-depth research options, including access to all of the above books – and so many more. Check them out with a free trial and stay up to date on the latest legal developments.
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