Walker & Walker's English Legal System

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Authors: Richard Ward & Amanda Akhtar

Price: £27.99

Edition: 10th Edition (July 2008)

ISBN: 978-0-19-921487-7

Buy from OUP: Click Here

Walker & Walker's English Legal System is now in its tenth edition and comes only two and a half years since the ninth edition.  This does, of course, tell its own tale of the rapid development of the English Legal System.  The aim does, however, remain unchanged: to provide an accessible and relatively concise expedition of the main principles, rules and issues.  To my mind, it largely achieves this aim.

Like its last edition, Walker & Walker's English Legal System is authored by Richard Ward and Amanda Akhtar (née Wragg).  It is split into four parts: sources of law; the administration of justice; civil procedure; and criminal procedure.  Each chapter adopts a similar approach by including a brief introductory section, explaining the aims of the chapter, and ends with a list of further reading.  In between, the authors logically tackle the material in fairly short and manageable sections.

Before reviewing Walker & Walker's English Legal System, I had not come across it as an undergraduate.  I wish, however, that I had because it explains the principles, case-law, issues and rules both accessibly and concisely.  Being a commercial litigator, I was also keen to read the part on civil proceedings.  Whilst the majority is technically correct, there are some unfortunate errors on the explanation of Part 36 Offers.  For example, since April 2007 (over a year before publication) a party has been unable to make a payment into Court but the authors continue to explain this principle and, indeed, say a payment must be made where the claim is for damages.

Walker & Walker's English Legal System is an excellent guide to the main principles, rules and issues of the English Legal System.  It is, however, disappointingly let down by some fairly basic inaccuracies which could have been (and should have been) easily corrected.  These issues undermine the integrity of what is otherwise an excellent text but, so long as readers double check the law has not been updated, it should continue to remain a favourite for many students.

Reviewed on 5 April 2009

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