Reviews of Books Written or Edited by Centre Members

Incentivising Employees: The Theory, Policy and Practice of Employee Share Ownership Plans in Australia     (authored by Ingrid Landau, Ann O'Connell and Ian Ramsay)

"The book …sets out to reveal the current state of play in the employee share ownership field… [The authors] describe the kinds of plans that exist and might exist and ask the question as who supports what kind of plan to satisfy what goal. This is superbly done. This is why the book will be welcomed by many professional policy-makers and thinkers. It provides a detailed and carefully organised account of the types of share ownership plans, the difficulties the various parties – listed corporations, unlisted ones, large employers, small and medium-sized ones, employees, unions, governments – may have in signing-on to these plans. Most particularly…the work proffers very nuanced and valuable accounts of the way in which the corporate law regulatory framework inhibits some employers from participating (notably disclosure and audit requirements that are costly for smaller enterprises) and how the many possible ways in which to value and characterise shares and options have been modified from time to time…In short the work is a combination of a very careful and refined statement of the way in which the corporate regulatory and taxation schemes work and how they impact on the evolution of this kind of arrangement and of the goals that must be aimed for by any improvements to the corporate regulatory and taxation regimes…The book must be read with all the care these skilled authors brought to their assembly of the data. It will be very rewarding. The study is a gold mine for many communities of scholars and policy-makers, whether they occupy the vantage point of finance, human resources, corporate and taxation regulation or industrial relations, experts."
Review published in the Australian Business Law Review

Law, Corporate Governance and Partnerships at Work: A Study of Australian Regulatory Style and Business Practice (authored by Richard Mitchell, Anthony O'Donnell, Shelly Marshall, Ian Ramsay and Meredith Jones)

"This book provides rich material regarding the interaction between law, corporate governance and labour management. This study is grounded in commercial reality and uses empirical research methods to examine the influence of law on corporate governance and industrial relations, which is a methodological innovation for business and labour law studies. This book would also provide good references for other social science researchers to understand companies' behaviours and industrial relations under the influences of neo-liberal legal reform."
Review published in Work, Employment and Society


"
The modern corporation is characterised by a series of complex relationships and potential agency problems, including conflicts between management and shareholders, and the firm and its stakeholders, notably employees...This book is a valuable contribution to our understanding of the internal dynamics and management of these conflicts, exploring the relationship between corporate governance, firms' ownership structures and workforce management. Drawing on the results of an extensive five-year research project, the authors empirically test a wide range of possible dependencies, and convincingly demonstrate the degree of heterogeneity which characterises different phenomena the law may seek to regulate."
Review published in the Industrial Law Journal

"The implications of this research for the current re-evaluation of corporate governance norms and practices and for challenging our current understanding of shareholder primacy as an accurate reflection of how managers run their firms merit its inclusion in any serious inquiry into the trajectory of corporate governance in the post-crisis context…While we should continue to study and re-evaluate the ideological and structural underpinnings of our economic systems, we should also refrain from losing sight of the complexities that modern business corporations navigate and the often unpredictable wide range of factors that influence and shape how managers balance shareholder and employee interests inside public and private business corporations alike. While the unpredictability and challenge in quantifying such factors makes including them in an assessment of corporate governance a daunting exercise, perhaps new inquiries can be opened that begin to situate rich empirical findings such as those in Law, Corporate Governance and Partnerships at Work in a new or elaborated set of theoretical frameworks."
Review published in Transnational Legal Theory

The Takeovers Panel and Takeovers Regulation in Australia (edited by Ian Ramsay)

"Considering how the Takeovers Panel regulates takeover bids may at first appear daunting to the uninitiated. There are detailed provisions regulating takeovers in the Corporations Act and the inventiveness of investment bankers and lawyers ensures that the Panel often considers novel and complex issues. However, a crucial aspect in the history of takeovers regulation in Australia is an evolution from a black letter approach to a more principles based one. The principles that govern takeover bids are written in a way that everyone can basically understand- involving market efficiency, adequate information to shareholders and fairness. I consider that an important way to uphold these principles is to encourage transparency and debate in a way that can be understood by market participants as well as practitioners. The 'Takeovers Panel and Takeovers Regulation in Australia'does just that. To celebrate 10 years of the Panel as a revitalised organisation, Professor Ian Ramsay at the University of Melbourne has assembled some of the most accomplished practitioners in the field... to write about the Panel and its operations in a way that is comprehensive, yet succinct and easy to understand. Each author provides his or her own insights on the operation of the panel... 'The Takeovers Panel and Takeovers Regulation in Australia'is a significant contribution to the body of academic work on the Panel, and a useful source of information for market participants and practitioners alike."
Review published in the Australian Financial Review Dealbook

"The subject matter and the book's content are substantive...the authors are to be congratulated in producing a book that will interest students, practitioners and academics".
Review published in the Law Institute Journal

Varieties of Capitalism, Corporate Governance and Employees (edited by Shelley Marshall, Richard Mitchell and Ian Ramsay)

"This book…is explicitly interdisciplinary in nature. Its central objective is to find an overall framework for analysis of contemporary capital/labour relations to enable scholars and policy-makers to situate a particular nation's experience within that generalising framework. The notion is that the framework developed will not be a rigid one, that nations will feature and emphasise different aspects of the overall model, reflecting different political, economic and legal histories. The questions raised, therefore, are both conceptual and empirical. In particular, as the title suggests, the scholars are to gauge where, and to what extent, Australian practices and institutions fit within the overall framework of analysis. This is a daunting project but many of the participants have been engaged in this kind of intellectual endeavour for some time…The participants put themselves in a position to make a number of enriching inquiries…This is rewarding work. Investigation of the dynamic relationship between aspects of corporate governance and labour management leads to some surprising findings...These observations explain why this work is such a worthwhile addition to the literature. An intricate tapestry of capital/labour institutions and practices is woven…The corporation is posited as a primary regulatory agent. Much of the work might be characterised as a series of exercises to determine as to how malleable this legal institution is. The scholars are concerned to see whether corporations…are responsive and/or capable of being responsive to improved partnership-like relationships, whether they lend themselves to enriched trust and good faith relationships, whether or not they are more or less likely to take long-term interests of all stakeholders into account, rather than pursue short term returns on behalf of shareholders. This is why the book is so interesting; this is why it produces so much rich material on the significance of ownership, on new forms of ownership, on the attitude of the governors, ie, directors and senior executives, of these corporations...In sum: this is a fine study."
Review published in the Australian Journal of Corporate Law

"Varieties of Capitalism, Corporate Governance and Employees, edited by Shelley Marshall, Richard Mitchell and Ian Ramsay, makes an important contribution to the literature on corporate governance and employment relations. It is the first volume to systematically examine key issues with respect to the alignment of Australia's corporate governance and employment systems, two of the primary institutions shaping a country's 'variety of capitalism' (VoC), with those of other national systems. Taking a VoC approach, the contributions in the book draw upon a wide range of academic disciplines and methodological approaches, and the analysis integrates corporate law and corporate governance with labour law and comparative industrial relations. This is an important contribution because the relationship between varieties of capitalism, corporate governance and employment relations is to an important degree shaped by the co-evolution of theory and practice in corporate governance, corporate and labour law and industrial relations. The book is also rich in empirical content."
Review published in the Australian Journal of Labour Law

"This book…could not be more timely…the book meets its promise of providing a multidisciplinary perspective on what has recently become a consuming debate…The book has three parts: theoretical approaches, empirical studies and finally, corporate social responsibility and regulatory approaches. Each of these sections has insights for reflective practitioners, researchers, policy-makers and executives. Arguments come from leading scholars representing a range of disciplinary perspectives: from work and organisational studies, industrial relations, commercial law, corporate law, labour law policy, labour-market regulation and human resource management. The multidisciplinary perspective is one of the key strengths of this book, as the debates it presents are complex. No one discipline or perspective has all the answers to which variety of capitalism Australia might choose to take into the future…It is a well edited and readable presentation of the context for debates on models of corporate governance and on varieties of capitalism and power-sharing. It poses many questions to those academics, policymakers, executives and practitioners who have an interest in decoding the maelstrom of the current debates on the future possible varieties of capitalism. In summary, the book provides readers with knowledge to begin to make informed choices on these questions."
Review published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources

"The papers included in the book are all of a high quality and will definitely be of great interest to all researchers interested in corporate law, corporate governance, labour law and various models of capitalism…The authors and editors should be commended for compiling a very useful and rich research source that can lead to further in-depth research in several areas."
Review published in the Deakin Law Review

"This book examines corporate governance and the management of labour from an Australian perspective. The edited collection, combining the contributions of leading Australian scholars from several disciplines, provides an examination of the Australian evidence from a range of different perspectives. It draws together the work of corporate law and labour law scholars, comparative employment relations and human resource management academics, and political economists. The book also draws upon a wide-ranging collection of research methodologies including case studies, and survey work, as well as reviews of theoretical works and secondary literature. Split into three parts consisting of 11 chapters with 16 contributors, the book provides extensive coverage on the wider context of current trends and issues, using varieties of capitalism (VoC) to frame their analyses. While it may be stated that this collection focuses more on Australian trends, this should not, however, distract from the value of the book as an important contribution to the international discussion on VoC and national styles of regulation. This book suggests that while Australia might be grouped together with the United States and the UK, it does not mean that its business systems mirror those in other liberal market economics. The studies in this book show that Australia has retained idiosyncratic features. This publication is well focused and presents itself as comprehensive yet condensed and well integrated."
Review published in the Industrial Relations Journal

"The 'Varieties of Capitalism' (VoC) framework departed from much accepted wisdom within political economy and regulation discourses. For instance, there is a strong current of thought claiming that globalisation promotes a convergence towards more liberalised markets and deregulation of business governance, leading to greater shareholder influence and marginalised organised labour. The VoC approach presented a more open structural framework that suggested a 'dual convergence' towards either a liberal market model or a co-ordinated market model. VoC 'rejects the notion that there is one best way to organize capitalism and points to the role that institutional arrangements play in shaping how market societies function' (p. 20)… Overall, the research presented in the collection is exploratory and, as such, the book provides a valuable introduction to the concept of VoC in the Australian setting. Invariably, the findings qualify the heuristic, dualist theoretical structure that the original VoC framework posited… Throughout the collection there is a refreshing openness to theoretical modification of the original VoC framework. This reflexive approach to theoretically informed, empirically based work provides a model for all social scientists… This collection therefore makes a valuable contribution to understanding the challenges facing contemporary Australian industrial relations."
Review published in Labour and Industry

"Varieties of Capitalism, Corporate Governance and Employees focuses on one important aspect of the corporate governance debate – the nature of the role and interests of employees of corporations, and the impact of corporate governance on employment relationships, practices and issues… As noted in the introductory first chapter written by the three editors, the book draws together the work of corporate law and labour law scholars, comparative employment relations and human resources management academics and political economists...There is a cohesive thread throughout the various chapters, unlike some edited books which commonly suffer a lack of a clear underlying theme or a clarity of progression. The book is more in the style of an academic monograph than a standard text, but has a thorough and clear treatment of its subject. One of the most valuable features of this book is its ability, despite its clear focus on the Australian position, to also offer a contextual approach through a consideration of relevant developments internationally, and to take into account global movements...Varieties of Capitalism, Corporate Governance and Employees takes an original approach to its topic – indeed, it appears to be the only Australian published book exhaustively and exclusively addressing the concept of the complex inter-relationship between corporate governance and employment. It provides a comprehensive treatment of the relevant topics in a manner which addresses the key issues in both a practical and theoretical sense. Whist some underlying understanding or knowledge is often assumed, the book remains accessible and readable. For academics, students, practitioners and professionals with an interest in this broad-ranging aspect of corporate governance, this book will no doubt prove to be a useful reference source."
Review published in the University of New South Wales Law Journal

"Varieties of Capitalism, Corporate Governance and Employees, deals with the differing types of capitalism practiced and attempts to situate the Australian experience within them. In so doing, it breaks from traditional political economy conceptions of globalization as standard and universal. This book, above all else, shows that differing institutions and histories have an impact on the type of capitalism that is practiced within that state. The book is divided into three main parts. The first part deals with theoretical approaches to differing versions of capitalism. The second involves empirical studies based on the theoretical approaches. The final part deals with corporate social responsibility and regulatory approaches. The book does not present an outright argument; rather, it analyzes whether and how Australian institutions are becoming more American in orientation or if they remain similar to the German model…One of the outstanding qualities of this book is its multidisciplinary approach. Arguments come from corporate law perspectives, labor law perspectives, and theoretical and labor perspectives. While it is centered on Australia, the ideas are transferable to other industrialized nations. The book is useful in conceptualizing the way in which historical institutional elements collide with neoliberal economic policies."
Review published in the Labor Studies Journal

"This edited collection starts to unpack the Australian situation in the Varieties of Capitalism (VOC) debate. With the VOC tending towards international comparison on the basis of institutional arrangements and the economic interactions these institutions facilitate, Australia appears to offer particularly fertile ground for exploration…the book presents a very sound first step for understanding the position of Australia in terms of the burgeoning VOC literature and starts to raise the question of whether Australia actually is a Liberal Market Economy…The book opens in the conventional manner with an introduction from the editors, setting out the three sections; theoretical, empirical and regulatory…The book moves on to more empirically grounded studies in section 2, which continues to highlight the gap between the theoretical propositions of VOC typology and the assembled Australian evidence…Together these three chapters bring stockholders and corporate governance firmly into view and underline nicely the empirical problems for studies that follow from the VOC typology in the Australian context…The final section of the book looks to possible approaches and strategies available in the context of apparently new terrain…Together, the final chapters of the book underline the danger of equating institutional forms and subsequent market pressures on corporate governance, by pointing to the variable effects of different regulatory frameworks on corporate governance. In terms of the VOC debate overall this book provides an important early snapshot of the Australian situation. The relationships between capital markets and finance, through to corporate governance and labour management practice, are complex and increasingly important …the contributors in this volume point to a range of avenues for exploring the gap between the VOC approach and the Australian evidence that raises a number of theoretical challenges for the VOC debate."
Review published in the Journal of Industrial Relations

"This book provides an important theoretical contribution towards some of the broad themes of corporate governance from an Australian perspective."
Review published in the International Company and Commercial Law Review

Securities and Financial Services Law (authored by Robert Baxt, Ashley Black and Pamela Hanrahan)

"This work is now in its 7th edition and remains the pre-eminent text in its area. As readers will know regulation of securities and financial services law has expanded exponentially with the growth of our economy and now represents one of the most regulated areas of commercial activity… This is a very thorough and detailed book and it is without doubt the reference of choice for an overview of the law in this area, supplemented, as I have noted with the outstanding contributions of the eminent authors who have prepared it."
Review published in the Newsletter of the Law Society of Tasmania

Funds Management in Australia: Officers' Duties and Liabilities (authored by Pamela Hanrahan)

"The value of Professor Hanrahan's book is not only that it catalogues the long list of rules which officers of funds management companies must currently respect, but also that it attempts to map some of the areas where the rules interact. This is a hugely important exercise, made all the more important because it is difficult and the jurisprudence in Australia is thin. For example, chapters 7 through 9 depict the interplay between the general law obligations on officers of funds management companies and the statutory duties aligned with them and, in some cases, superimposed upon those general law obligations."
Review published in The Journal of the Securities Institute of Australia

"Funds Management in Australia: Officers' Duties & Liabilities is the first significant and comprehensive treatment specifically focused on the legal duties and obligations of those involved in the management of the funds management entities. Other works deal with statutory regulation such as Corporations and ASIC requirements, however this work deals specifically with the duties and liabilities of funds management companies and their directors and officers... [The book] is a significant and important work of legal scholarship providing both analysis and exposition of this complex and important aspect of modern commercial life. The interplay of various aspects of corporations, trust and contract law are comprehensively analysed and explained. The book is sure to be of interest to all those involved in the funds management industry whether as investors or managers. The work will be particularly useful for those directly concerned with the operation, administration or regulation of the funds management industry."
Review published in the Australian Business Law Review

"To say that there has, over the last 20 years or so, been an explosion in commercial funds management in Australia would be to understate the phenomenal growth of this sector of the financial services marketplace. Funds management is a complex multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional enterprise. This book seeks to untangle and explain some of that complexity… This work is highly recommended not only for fund managers, but also for professionals and other people associated with this complex enterprise."
Review published in the Australian Banking and Finance Law Bulletin

Company Directors: Principles of Law and Corporate Governance (authored by Robert Austin, Harold Ford and Ian Ramsay)

"This new book is the latest contribution to legal scholarship by the triumvirate which has, for many years, kept admirably up to date the leading work on Australian company law that first flowed from the pen of Professor Harold Ford more than 30 years ago. …Canons of good corporate governance join principles of law as the foundation for a comprehensive treatment of the responsibilities, duties, powers and rights of company directors in 21st century Australia…This work will be of great value to practitioners, corporate counsel and students alike. It will be of interest to company directors themselves and other lay readers seeking insights into this ever-topical subject. The law as it is and the law as it might become are both covered, the latter under corporate governance rubric. The authors tell us in the preface which of them wrote which chapter. A form of blind tasting by this reviewer failed entirely to pick who wrote what. This is because of the uniformly high quality of the analysis and exposition by these three acknowledged experts in the field."
Review published in the Australian Law Journal

"This book fills a long standing lacuna in the area. The text is written by the three most eminent scholars on corporations law in the country. …Given the recent spate of corporate collapses both in Australia and around the globe highlighting the responsibilities of directors, this text is indeed timely. …This book is a highly valuable addition to any practitioner's library."
Review published in the Australian Banking and Finance Law Bulletin

"The publication of Company Directors: Principles of Law and Corporate Governance is timely and makes an important and outstanding contribution to this theme particularly in its exposition of the legal principles relating to directors. Its authors are well-known and respected. …Company Directors is an outstanding work and is a valuable addition to the library of anyone interested in a detailed exposition of the legal regulation of directors."
Review published in the University of New South Wales Law Journal

"Corporate governance and the role of directors have never commanded greater attention, thanks in part to increased oversight and high profile governance failures. …The authors of this timely release are generally accepted as being the foremost authorities on corporate governance in the Australian context, and they present a detailed, scholarly and comprehensive analysis of law and governance as they relate to Australian company directors. The book's main focus is on the duties of company directors, remedies for breach of these duties, and the structure and operations of the board of directors, but the addition of expert commentary on corporate governance, as it relates to company directors, sets the text apart."
Review published in Lawyers' Weekly

"The book deals comprehensively with a broad range of legal issues affecting company directors. …The treatment of directors' duties is extremely detailed. … The book is a must-have for corporate lawyers."
Review published in Bar News: Journal of the New South Wales Bar Association

"The book is divided into three broad areas representing the structures and powers of a board of directors; the duties of directors and, finally, the remedies for breach of duty and enforcement. The statutory, fiduciary and general corporate governance principles are approached in detail, applying statute where appropriate to illustrate the principle in question. The text also uses modern, relevant examples such as the HIH collapse and the resulting outcomes for the directors involved in the matter to illustrate the effect of breach of fiduciary and statutory duties and the resulting consequences. Thus a clear balance is made from authoritative precedents through to contemporary examples of the various legal principles. …The book will be an important addition to all general counsels and law firms that have a growing corporate and commercial practice. This is a valuable reference tool for the many directors and other corporate officers who may have anxiety about their daily role in such a litigious environment."
Review published in Keeping Good Companies: Journal of Chartered Secretaries Australia

"The principles of proper corporate governance and the responsibility of directors for their implementation have been the subject of intensive debate over recent years both in Australia and overseas….The distinguishing feature of this text is that it approaches the law as it applies to corporations from a "director centred" perspective. It is a valuable reference for those advising directors about their obligations and duties or the potential implications for them of a transaction or state of affairs concerning a company in which they hold office…The text is well ordered and indexed, visually accessible and well written…There is an impressive coverage of the wide-ranging duties imposed on directors, including the duties owed in relation to internal management, fiduciary duties, insider trading, insolvent trading, improper profits and appropriation of corporate property, duties in relation to financial statements, capital raising, product liability, concurrent or accessorial liability for acts of the company and liabilities arising from unauthorised acts. Finally, the text includes a comprehensive summary of the legal and equitable remedies available to make directors accountable for breaches of duty, including a detailed discussion of the availability of derivative actions."
Review published in the Law Institute Journal

Ford's Principles of Corporations Law (authored by Harold Ford, Robert Austin and Ian Ramsay)

"Ford's Principles of Corporations Law is Australia's leading textbook on corporate law…In distilling [recent] decisions and placing them into their broader context, Ford's is an invaluable reference work for academics, students, practitioners and those involved in the direction and management of companies."

Review of the 15th edition published in Ethos: Journal of the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory

"This remains Australia's leading text on corporations law…its authority remains unparalleled…It retains a full treatment of all major areas of Australian company law from the formation of the company through its operation to its dissolution, including the nature and consequences of the corporate entity, issues of corporate governance, fundraising and dealing with third parties and external administration... It remains an essential part of the library of any Australian lawyer."

Review of the 14th edition published in the Australian Business Law Review 

"The book remains the pre-eminent resource for lawyers, accountants, government and business throughout Australia…The text is accessible and authoritative… this work retains all of the substance, style and scholarship that has made it an indispensable legal classic for students and practitioners alike."

Review published in the Victorian Bar News

"Corporate governance and proper disclosure have been under the spotlight over the last 18 months or so, especially in light of the sweeping reforms proposed by the Ramsay Report…Covering the whole spectrum of company law including formation, legal capacity, share issues, directors' duties, auditing, shareholder remedies and insolvency (and much, much more) this is an in depth guide for the professional, layman or student… Ford's Principles of Corporations Law has been the "bible" of corporate lawyers and students alike for a generation." Review published in Lawyers Weekly

"It is not hard to see why Ford has remained one of the most popular texts on company law…One of the strengths of this book is the depth of the knowledge of the authors, so that related legal doctrines are woven seamlessly into the text, such as in the case of the explanation of directors' duties in Ch 8, or the rules that apply where the company is a trustee."
Review published in the Australian Law Journal

"I thoroughly recommend this book as a must for all legal libraries. Ford's Principles of Corporations Law remains the pre-eminent text on Australian corporations law, preserving its reputation for scholarship and unique insight into this increasingly complex area of law."
Review published in Proctor: Journal of the Queensland Law Society

"The authors achieve an impressive topical coverage and density of scholarship…It is an essential addition to the shelves of those with a commercial /corporate practice."
Review published in the Queensland Bar News

"Company law with its mass of rules and regulations derived from statute, common law and equity is one of those subjects where most students actually need and benefit from a comprehensive textbook. This one has earned a well-established and respected reputation in the context of corporations law."
Review published in the International Trade and Business Law Annual

"[The book] is a classic…For any lawyer who practises in company law, Ford's Principles of Corporations Law is the first 'port of call'."
Review published in the Victorian Bar News

"This is the 14th edition of what is the authoritative textbook on Australian company law. The present authors are two of the prominent legal minds in the corporate law area… One aspect that has always marked out Ford's Principles of Corporations Law has been its ability to balance detail with user-friendliness. This continues with the present edition... [The book] remains a valuable reference point for corporate lawyers."
Review published in the Law Institute Journal

"The text covers the range from the small proprietary limited to the large listed public company. And the myriad of problems that might land on the practitioner's desk…It is a very good text in a difficult field of practice."
Review published in Ethos: Journal of the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory

"[The book] has become a standard text and classic… and has, over the years been frequently cited in decisions of superior courts…Ford's Principles of Corporations Law still manages to synthesise the law, admirably, in the diffuse area of corporations law."
Review published in Hearsay: Journal of the Bar Association of Queensland

"This book is highly valued by the legal profession…It is clearly written, accurate and with numerous case citations."
Review published in the Bulletin of the Law Society of South Australia

The Open Corporation: Effective Self-Regulation and Democracy (authored by Christine Parker)

"In a lively and challenging work…Christine Parker seeks to explore the possibility of transforming the corporation from an object of external regulation to a subject capable of self-regulation…Her account of the potential of corporations for a practical form of social citizenship is elegantly written and finely argued."
Review published in the Griffith Law Review

"The book is a product of exhaustive research and presents a rich exploration of the literature on regulation and related topics… If you are genuinely interested in moving the debate about corporate social esponsibility from nihilism to potentially achievable aspiration, I recommend that you read this book."
Review published in the University of New South Wales Law Journal

"Christine Parker's The Open Corporation is a first rate piece of academic scholarship of international stature. It is the product of deep research, yet wears its learning lightly. The text is accessible and the style readable, a real achievement given the matters discussed. Parker's passion for her topic, and for the need to create responsible and accountable corporations in the interests of social justice and democracy is always evident."
Review published in the Australian Journal of Labour Law

"The alternative to command and control [approach to compliance and regulation] must be grounded on the principle of self-regulation, says Parker, and she calls in support a growing body of academic writing, which she has organised and analysed in an impressively coherent manner, backed up by the conclusions of her own field research among compliance professionals in several countries."
Review published in the New Zealand Law Journal

"Parker's book offers a method for approaching the complex job of achieving better democratic control of corporate power. [The book is] readable, actively engaged with the reality of "self-regulation" as experienced in the field, and well informed on the theory, as well as being a good how-to for practitioners in companies and in regulatory agencies."
Review published in the Drawing Board: An Australian Review of Public Affairs

"This is a well researched, scholarly, articulate book which deserves to be read and understood by corporate executives, citizens and political leaders."
Review published in the Australian Financial Review Boss Magazine

The Law of Secured Finance (authored by Paul Ali)

"Dr Paul Ali's The Law of Secured Finance is a useful guide to an area of the law which has been more confused than many others by the interplay of statute and case law. Many will wish it had been available long ago, as texts in the area lacked such a clear structure."
Review published in the Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation

Key Developments in Corporate Law and Trusts Law – Essays in Honour of Professor Harold Ford (edited by Ian Ramsay)

"This book is a wonderful idea. It is a collection of essays in honour of a person whose name is known to all corporate and insolvency lawyers…The book collects scholarship from authors of the highest quality, including 6 professors and 2 judges…Readers will find the book to be a stimulating read."
Review published in the Insolvency Law Bulletin

Commercial Applications of Company Law in Malaysia (authored by Pamela Hanrahan, Ian Ramsay, Geof Stapledon, Aman Narimin and Aisha Bidin)

"Lecturers will find this book a unique teaching aid…the publication of this comprehensive guide is timely, in light of the challenge of good corporate practice and compliance."
Review published in The Star - Malaysia

Experts' Reports in Corporate Transactions (authored by Laurie McDonald, Grant Moodie, Ian Ramsay and Jon Webster)

"It's long overdue that the Australian securities industry had a more contemporary guide for expert report writers. This book goes a long way to fill the void between past experience and current best practice. By reference to case law and current ASIC policy statements and notes, it situates itself well in the tradition and precedence of immediate corporate and regulator experience and the interpretations of the judiciary. The team of authors provides the reader with a broad grasp of the salient aspects of the expert's definition and tasks, as well as the downside of liability and the defences provided at law and in contract…The book is not afraid to explore issues for which practice often only provides inconclusive counsel. The ambiguity of many corporate situations aside, the book does a good job of highlighting the grey areas that demand all the more acute attention in the practicing real world. ….The book is a valuable addition to the library of the specialist practitioner report writer, to those who seek to engage them and to the legal professional who may be called upon to defend a client or test a report. It is very much a text that regulators should take serious note of in their framing of policy, around the practice - related difficulties of report writing."
Review published in the Journal of the Securities Institute of Australia

"Experts have figured prominently in recent jurisprudence…the present work, as its title suggests, is concerned specifically with the role of the expert in the context of corporate ransactions. The book is intended for those who prepare experts' reports as well as others involved in corporate transactions where such reports are used. This will include company directors, and the reliance by directors on experts' reports in the context of directors' duties is specifically considered. As well as extensive legal analysis, the book includes a consideration of practical examples of experts' reports that have not been the subject of litigation… [The book] will be highly useful to practitioners in the area."
Review published in the New South Wales Law Society Journal

"The book is useful and informative. It deals with the requirements of the regulatory authorities; who is an expert; what is meant by terms such as 'fair and reasonable'; and like matters. It also analyses the concept of an independent expert. There is also a section on the liability of experts and a chapter on the reliance by directors on experts' reports. The book would be quite useful to solicitors, accountants and merchant bankers involved in the corporate finance area."
Review published in the Australian Law Journal

"A major strength of the text is the practical orientation of its content. Whilst the legal principles are succinctly expressed, with reference to important cases, statutory provisions, provisions in industry codes and the regulator's practice statements and policy notes, the book is replete with actual examples of the content of some reports, many (but not all) of which have been examined in the courts, to support the particular points being made. This is seen, for example, in the context of the chapter dealing with disclaimer and indemnity clauses. The book does not spare those authors of reports that have been criticised in the courts and sets out passages from reports that have incurred the wrath of judges. In this sense, the book serves a salutary function in indicating, to those asked to prepare experts reports, of the mistakes and vices contained in previous reports, as identified by the courts. This practical orientation may be attributed to the profile of the authors: all of who are trained commercial lawyers, with one being a highly respected academic. The practical nature of the text is also demonstrated by the frequent reference to commentary from other practitioners in the commercial law area; as well as financial journalists, which usefully critiques this area of the law from the perspective of its most immediate practitioners…the book fills a long-standing vacuum in the legal literature concerning experts who produce reports in corporate transactions. It is something of an instruction manual for such experts and gives commercial lawyers an informative and very readable exposition of the principles and important current issues concerning expert reports in the corporate context."
Review published in Bar News: Journal of the New South Wales Bar Association

Corporations Law - In Principle (authored by Susan Woodward, Helen Bird and Sally Sievers)

"The book is ideally suited for any student commencing their business studies…The language used in the book, the style and the ease of its use distinguish the book as a great teaching and learning resource."
Review published in the Australian Journal of Corporate Law

"[The book provides] invaluable learning aids for students otherwise potentially overwhelmed by the breadth of topics and depth of material covered in company law courses, whether in law schools or in business schools."
Review published in the Law Institute Journal

Company Directors' Liability for Insolvent Trading (edited by Ian Ramsay)

"[This book] is the most current and useful compendium of the law, practice and theory on the subject yet published, particularly for an Australian audience, although it will be of value to New Zealand and United Kingdom readers and in the context of scholarly debates. It serves several purposes. For liquidators, accountants and commercial legal practitioners, it is a very helpful way of coming to grips with the statutory provisions and case law. For those advising directors on their duties on how to manage a situation where they are concerned about a company's financial position, it is a useful overview of how to approach the problem in practice and particularly in taking into account the role of voluntary administration and deeds of arrangement under Chapter 5.3A of the Corporations Law…The edition should prove very useful for practitioners in a number of fields, as well as those concerned with the scholarly debate."
Review published in Keeping Good Companies: Journal of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries

"The University of Melbourne has provided us with a work of intellectual rigour…These 8 essays (including the editor's own) form a multifaceted prism of scholarship and substance. An ASIC lawyer, a NZ barrister, a Sydney solicitor, Oxford dons, Australian professors and a Colorado professor are a laser of learned minds…This book is for those who are concerned to know the history of the insolvent trading provision, what the Australian law now states, its theoretical base and the principles actually applied, what the laws of other places say and what our law should say…The book well displays the access of the authors to their subject."
Review published in Ethos: Journal of the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory

"This short, but excellent, book examines a range of issues raised by insolvent trading regulation. It is divided into four parts. The first part is a chapter by the editor, Ian Ramsay, which provides an overview of the insolvent trading provisions and of the debate that these provisions have generated. The second part comprises two chapters expressing opposing views on this policy debate. The third contains three chapters devoted to different aspects of the Australian insolvent trading provisions. And the fourth part provides an international perspective through an examination of the New Zealand and English provisions. The book is strongly recommended. Its emphasis on policy issues is particularly welcome…Overall, this is a welcome book on a specialised but important topic. The scope of topics covered is admirable and it deserves a wide readership."
Review published in the Monash University Law Review

Corporate Governance and the Duties of Company Directors (edited by Ian Ramsay)

"The collection assembled by Professor Ian Ramsay is recommended reading for anyone who is interested in exploring issues [of corporate law] or in corporate governance more generally…It includes interesting and thought - provoking material on issues which have become topical in the United Kingdom following the Law Commission's consultative paper on company directors…The book is a worthwhile edition to the relevant literature."
Review published in the International Company and Commercial Law Review

"This book is a collection of articles on general corporate governance issues and specific duties owed by company directors. For anyone seriously interested in the subject the book provides a useful introduction to current case law and detailed analysis of the principles in this area of the law."
Review published in the New South Wales Law Society Journal

"The book will no doubt become a contemporary textbook in the study of corporate governance."
Review published in Australian CPA

"This authoritative work discusses the duties of directors in Australia from a legal perspective. In his introduction the editor recognises that there are many definitions of corporate governance and explores why corporate governance has become an issue. In an original insight he demonstrates the breadth of corporate governance far more fully than most authorities, by identifying the various mechanisms that play a role in corporate governance."
Review published in Corporate Governance: An International Review

"If you have always sought clarification as to just what constitutes "corporate governance" and succinct enlightenment as to the law defining directors' duties, then Corporate Governance and the Duties of Company Directors is the book for you…The book holds appeal in that it attempts to define and present the ideology of corporate governance in more than one light, and illustrates its role in conflict minimisation within a corporate structure…The substantive law pertaining to directors' duties is admirably presented."
Review published in the Law Institute Journal

"This book provides timely perspectives on the various issues surrounding the role of directors and of corporate law in enhancing corporate governance practice…The text provides a useful snapshot of the current thinking regarding director liability, regulatory costs and different policy approaches. More importantly, it provides an impressive introduction for newcomers to this area of the law, whilst also prompting a re-evaluation by those familiar with the many policy skirmishes occurring within the confines of the corporate governance debate."
Review published in the Company and Securities Law Journal

Securities Regulation in Australia and New Zealand (edited by Gordon Walker, Brent Fisse and Ian Ramsay)

"The text Securities Regulation in Australia and New Zealand contributes a number of important elements to the ongoing regulatory debate. Perhaps most importantly, the commingling of legal concepts with financial, economic and accounting concepts is to be broadly and extensively applauded…This review cannot do justice to the numerous, innovative conceptual filters presented in the text, suffice it to say that the traditional black letter approach to securities regulation will come under closer scrutiny in the future as these conceptual filters are applied in a more comprehensive manner…One of the recurrent themes in this text is the powerful analytical insights to be derived from economic theory and empirical studies…It is commendable that Securities Regulation in Australia and New Zealand has admirably tackled the major, and many subsidiary, issues in the current securities regulation debate and proffers solutions which draw from many conflicting theoretical disciplines and perspectives. The depth of the legal analysis combined with a philosophical awareness and application of the various regulatory schools of thought makes this text an essential item in every security market participant's library…[The book] can justifiably claim to provide all participants in the securities markets with important, insightful perspectives and critiques on the existing regulatory framework."
Review published in the Australian Business Law Review

"This is an important book…It is highly recommended and will hold an important place in the scholarship on securities regulation in Australasia …There is something for everyone in this useful collection of materials. Students and teachers of law and commerce will find the insights into theory and practice invaluable...this book is a 'strong buy'."
Review published in the Otago Law Review

Education and the Law (authored by Ian Ramsay and Ann Shorten)

"This is the most significant publishing event for perhaps two decades for those interested in the law and education in Australia…[The book] will quickly become the standard reference book."
Review published in Proctor: Journal of the Queensland Law Society

"Education and the Law is confirmation that the law relating to education is an established area of interest…[The book] is both timely and appropriate…It is a useful and much needed book. Both Professor Ramsay and Dr Shorten have researched and written in the area of education and the law for some years, and the erudite treatment of the vast body of information included in the book is praiseworthy…It is a book that would rightly take its place on the bookshelves of teachers, educational administrators, academics, and members of the legal profession with a roving eye on the emerging field of education law."
Review published in the Australia and New Zealand Journal of Law and Education

"Education and the Law is a comprehensive and well referenced text on all aspects of the law as it relates to education in Australia…Ramsay and Shorten have produced an excellent text, invaluable to both lawyer and the education administrator."
Review published in Law Letter: Bulletin of the Law Society of Tasmania

"The growing complexities of delivering education make it urgent for all practitioners to understand the current law concerning their duties and professional security. This substantial, approachable text makes that possible…The professional library without a reference of this calibre is prejudicing staff and student welfare. Highly recommended."
Review published in Network for Education: New South Wales Department of School Education

"[The book] provides a detailed examination of many of the laws affecting education…it is recommended to every lawyer in this area, educational administrator, school councillor, careers counsellor and teacher."
Review published in the Law Institute Journal

Gambotto v WCP Ltd: Its Implications for Corporate Regulation (edited by Ian Ramsay)

"[The book] is a fascinating collection of papers by nine leading authorities evaluating the most significant practical and theoretical implications of the decision of the High Court in the case of Gambotto v WCP Ltd... This book deserves to be read by all academics and practitioners with an interest in corporate law and shareholders' rights."
Review published in the Company and Securities Law Journal

"The comparison between the Australian and US positions, the economic analysis of the case and a discussion of policy issues provide refreshing and intellectual discussion in a branch of the law often focussed on black letter issues… The essays are well written and researched."
Review published in Current Commercial Law