Have you been appointed by a family member to be the personal representative or executor of their estate? Have you considered how you would like your own personal possessions to be distributed? This book was written to introduce and familiarize its readers with easy to understand estate closing techniques and probate procedures. It is the author's intent to educate any individual that is either faced with closing an estate, or anyone that may be considering how their own estate might be administered. After reading this book, you too may consider yourself a professional as you set out to close your estate with ease.

The development of private law across the common law world is typically portrayed as a series of incremental steps, each one delivered as a result of judges dealing with marginally different factual circumstances presented to them for determination. This is said to be the common law method. According to this process, change might be assumed to be gradual, almost imperceptible. If this were true, however, then even Darwinian-style evolution - which is subject to major change-inducing pressures, such as the death of the dinosaurs - would seem unlikely in the law, and radical and revolutionary paradigms shifts perhaps impossible. And yet the history of the common law is to the contrary. The legal landscape is littered with quite remarkable revolutionary and evolutionary changes in the shape of the common law. The essays in this volume explore some of the highlights in this fascinating revolutionary and evolutionary development of private law. The contributors expose the nature of the changes undergone and their significance for the future direction of travel. They identify the circumstances and the contexts which might have provided an impetus for these significant changes. The essays range across all areas of private law, including contract, tort, unjust enrichment and property. No area has been immune from development. That fact itself is unsurprising, but an extended examination of the particular circumstances and contexts which delivered some of private law's most important developments has its own special significance for what it might indicate about the shape, and the shaping, of private law regimes in the future.

This book is the fourth in a series of essay collections on defences in private law. It addresses defences to liability arising in equity. The essays range from those adopting a mainly doctrinal perspective to others that explore the law from a more philosophical perspective. Some essays concentrate on specific defences, while others are concerned with the links between defences, or with how defences relate to the structure of the law of equity generally. One aim of the book is to shed light on equitable doctrines by analysing them through the lens of defences. The essays offer original contributions to this complex, important but neglected field of scholarly investigation. The contributors - judges, practitioners and academics - are all distinguished jurists. The essays are addressed to all of the major common law jurisdictions.

The number of disputes involving trusts has risen significantly in recent years. Many disputes take place in the international environment and cross-border jurisdictional issues may arise. These disputes often involve large sums of money, impacting significantly on family relations. The handling of such disputes requires specialist skills and knowledge, including an understanding of how and why private trusts are established and administered and the problems that can arise; an awareness of the cross-jurisdictional issues that may be relevant; and the ability to identify practical legal solutions to the dispute that are compliant with trust principles. International Trust Disputes provides a comprehensive and thorough treatment of this topic. Acting as a specialist guide for practitioners, it offers a survey of the special considerations that may arise with regard to trust disputes as well as a definitive guide to the issues which may be encountered in the jurisdictions where disputes are most likely to take place.

The resulting trust has received little attention in recent years and this may be because, until relatively recently, the law relating to resulting trusts was thought to be settled and uncontroversial. Most of the current academic writing about resulting trusts is found in the established textbooks on equity and trusts, but these tend to provide little more than catalogues of the situations in which resulting trusts arise. There is, however, very little consensus on the principle by which the resulting trust operates, including the fundamental question whether it arises by opertaion of law or depends on the presumed intention to create a trust. This book examines the true nature of the resulting trust and the question whether the trusts brought into being to reverse unjust enrichment should not include resulting trusts. It then considers whether, when resulting trusts are properly understood, it does turn out that it is through the resulting trust that equity makes its principle contribution to reversing unjust enrichment. This book examines principally the case law of the UK, Canada and Australia, and it also makes reference to the views of academic commentators as found in the standard texts and law journals.

Private Law and Property Claims sets out a distinctive analysis of some general issues in private law, including the nature of categories such as contract, tort, property, duties, and liabilities as the basis of claims in private law, and the relationship between primary rights and remedies. In the light of this analysis, the book offers a new approach to property in private law, including claims that arise to protect and recover property. It goes on to discuss the law of trusts, fiduciary relationships, and tracing; the remedial role of the trust; the nature of equity as a legal category; and the relationship between property and claims in tort to protect property. Private Law and Property Claims also exposes the misconceptions underlying the modern approach to restitution and unjust enrichment, and the problems this is causing in private law.

Constructive and resulting trusts have a long history in English law, and the law which governs them continues to develop as they are pressed into service to perform a wide variety of different functions, for example, to support the working of express trusts and other fiduciary relationships, to allocate family property rights, and to undo the consequences of commercial fraud. However, while their conceptual flexibility makes them enormously useful, it also makes them hard to understand. In the twelve essays collected in this volume, the authors shed new light on various aspects of the law governing constructive and resulting trusts, revisiting current controversies, bringing new historical material to the fore, and offering new theoretical perspectives.

Maximise your marks for every answer you write with Law Express Question and Answer. This series is designed to help you understand what examiners are looking for, focus on the question being asked and make your answers stand out. See how an expert crafts answers to up to 50 questions on Equity & Trusts. Discover how and why different elements of the answer relate to the question in accompanying Guidance. Plan answers quickly and effectively using Answer plans and Diagram plans. Gain higher marks with tips for advanced thinking in Make your answer stand out. Avoid common pitfalls with Don't be tempted to. Compare your responses using the Try it yourself answer guidance on the companion website. Practice answering questions and discover additional resources to support you in preparing for exams on the Companion website.

The law of trusts is a subject of considerable importance in the Commonwealth Caribbean. Traditional areas, such as testamentary trusts, resulting and constructive trusts, and charitable trusts, are now fully incorporated into the mainstream substantive law of the region, while the principles associated with offshore trust regimes are constantly expanding and developing. This book has been updated to reflect new case law and legislation, and to highlight recent trends relating to both traditional and offshore trusts.

Equity - the body of law developed in the English Court of Chancery - has a long and distinguished history. In the 21st century, it continues to be an important regulator of both commercial and personal dealings, as well as informing statutory regulation. Although much equitable doctrine is settled, there remain some intractable problems that bedevil lawyers across jurisdictions. The essays in this collection employ new historical, comparative, and theoretical perspectives to cast light on these fault lines in equitable doctrine and methodology. Leading scholars and practitioners from England, Australia, and New Zealand examine such contentious topics as: personal and proprietary liability for breaches of equitable duties (including fiduciary duties) * the creation of non-express trusts * equitable rights in insolvency * the fiduciary 'self dealing' rule * clogs on the equity of redemption * the distribution of assets on family breakdown * the suitability of unjust enrichment analysis. The book addresses specific doctrinal questions, as well as the 'meta' issues of organization and methodology, and the findings will be of value to academics and practitioners alike. (Series: Hart Studies in Private Law - Vol. 1)

Joyce Rogers sheds new light upon Shakespeare's last public words through her study of medieval and Renaissance ecclesiastical and testamentary laws and custom. Professor Rogers provides extensive background material on English legal history and shows that the legal documents of the time do give legal answer to the doubts and speculations that have grown up around Shakespeare's will. She shows how the will is replete with elements of civil and common as well as ecclesiastical law and custom, making more understandable the disputed points of Shakespeare's will, and establishing that the will was as correct, incontestable, and conventional as possible.

The main thrust of the book, however, is not on the law as such. It is on how the law was used by Shakespeare to serve the best interests and needs of the women and children in his family as well as the friends named therein. As such, the book will be invaluable to students and scholars of Elizabethan society and to all Shakespearean scholars.

In recent years, numerous jurisdictions have seen a significant shift in thinking about whether and to what extent matters involving the inner workings of a trust - so-called 'internal' trust disputes between settlors, trustees, and beneficiaries - are amenable to arbitration. Not only are parties expressing an increased desire to minimize the cost and delay of hostile trust litigation, but courts and legislatures from around the world have begun to demonstrate an increased willingness to allow these sorts of disputes to go to arbitration. Indeed, legislation allowing internal trust arbitration now exists in a number of jurisdictions, while courts in other countries have begun to allow mandatory arbitration of these types of disputes even in the absence of subject-specific statutes. This book discusses recent and anticipated developments concerning trust arbitration in a variety of domestic and cross-border settings. In so doing, the text not only provides necessary information about the special nature of national and international trust arbitration, it also bridges the gap between trust law and arbitration law by bringing together authors with expertise in both fields. Furthermore, this book is the first to provide detailed and critical analysis of various institutional initiatives in the area of trust arbitration (including measures proposed by the American Arbitration Association, the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, the English Trust Law Committee, and the International Chamber of Commerce) and to offer in-depth coverage of various national, international, and comparative issues, including the applicability of the New York Convention and the Hague Trust Convention to internal trust arbitration. As a result, this book is a must-have for specialists in both trust law and arbitration law.

This book explains how a creditor of an insolvent debtor can take priority over other creditors by claiming a proprietary interest in assets held by the debtor, and concentrates on the circumstances in which proprietary interests are created by operation of law or are implied from the arrangements between the parties. This is a subject of particular importance and difficulty in common law systems because of the changeable nature of equitable proprietary interests, and this book provides a clear and structured explanation of the current state of the law, with detailed reference to case law from England and Wales as well as Commonwealth jurisprudence, and suggests how it might be clarified and simplified by returning to first principles. The new edition considers a number of important developments which pertain to proprietary rights and insolvency. It evaluates the key decision of the Supreme Court in FHR European Ventures v Cedar Capital Partners. Although this has settled the question of whether constructive trusts extend to bribes, it has raised more general issues regarding the approach of the courts to the imposition of proprietary remedies, which the book explores. It also covers recent Privy Council and Court of Appeal decisions concerning constructive notice (Credit Agricole v Papadimitrou, Central Bank of Ecuador v Conticorp, and SFO v Lexi), as well as interesting issues concerning the new status of intangibles (Armstrong v Winnington) and the status of the anti-deprivation rule (Belmont Park v BNY). Proprietary Rights and Insolvency is a lucid and practical reference source on insolvency and property law.

During the past few decades, private equity (PE) has attracted considerable attention from investors, practitioners, and academicians. In fact, a substantial literature on PE has emerged. PE offers benefits for institutional and private wealth management clients including diversification and enhancement of risk-adjusted returns. However, the lack of transparency, regulatory restrictions, and liquidity concerns that exist for some PE options limit their attractiveness for some investors. Private Equity: Opportunities and Risks offers a synthesis of the theoretical and empirical literature on PE in both emerging and developed markets. The book examines PE and provides important insights about topics such as major types of PE (venture capital, leveraged, buyouts, mezzanine capital, and distressed debt investments), how PE works, performance and measurement, uses and structure, and trends. Readers can gain an in-depth understanding about PE from academics and practitioners from around the world. Private Equity: Opportunities and Risks provides a fresh look at the intriguing yet complex subject of PE. A group of renowned experts take readers through the core topics and issues of PE, and also examine the latest trends and cutting-edge developments in the field. Additionally, discussion of research on PE permeates the book. The coverage extends from discussing basic concepts and their application to increasingly complex and real-world situations. Thus, this volume spans the gamut from theoretical to practical, while offering a useful balance of detailed and user-friendly coverage. This fresh and intriguing examination of PE is essential reading for anyone hoping to gain a better understanding of PE, from seasoned professionals to those aspiring to enter the demanding world of finance.

The so-called Quistclose trust probably represents the single most important application of equitable principles in commercial life. (Lord Millett in the foreword to this book). The decision of the House of Lords in Twinsectra v Yardley has refocused attention on the Quistclose trust. Although accepted by insolvency lawyers as a convenient tool for corporate rescue, the precise basis of the trust has always been in doubt. The purpose of these essays is to explore the foundations of the trust and subject them to a searching analysis. Contributors: Robert Stevens (Oxford), 'Rolls Razor Ltd'; William Swadling (Oxford), 'Orthodoxy'; James Penner (LSE), 'Lord Millett's Analysis'; Lionel Smith (McGill), 'Understanding the Power'; Robert Chambers (Alberta),'Restrictions on the Use of Money'; Peter Birks (Oxford),'Retrieving Tied Money'; Ewan McKendrick (Oxford), 'Commerce'; Robert Stevens (Oxford), 'Insolvency'; George Gretton (Edinburgh),'Scotland'.

This work on the law of pension trusts comprehensively fills a gap in the provision of good commentary on pensions law, both from a practical and scholarly perspective. Responding to a paucity of up-to-date publications in this area, David Pollard provides the most detailed treatment available of trust law as it relates to occupational pension schemes. The book provides answers to difficult problems in pensions law often not covered by statute, including trustees' obligations to employers, how spouses and dependents rank as beneficiaries and implied duties owed by employers. Pollard deals with the issues of most concern to practitioners in pensions law, including trustees' investment and amendment powers, and trustee investment duties. This practical guidance is supported and enhanced by incisive academic analysis. Written by a leading pensions practitioner, this book is a must have for all practitioners and scholars in the field.

Rooted in the civil law systems of continental Europe, where foundations originally served mainly charitable purposes, the private foundation is an innovative development in common law jurisdictions. More and more jursidictions are introducing private foundations as an alternative to trusts and practitioners are increasingly asked to advise clients on the intricacies of the developing law and the differences between jurisdictions. Private Foundations World Survey is the first survey book to consider comprehensively private foundations law and practice in each of the key jurisdictions. With a unique questionnaire format and summary factsheet for easy reference, it examines all the fundamental aspects of setting up and maintaining a private foundation, with reference to relevant legislation and case law. The two expert editors, along with a team of leading international practitioners, cover an exhaustive range of topics, including protectors, taxation, alternatives to private foundations, forced heirship, divorce, asset protection, and migration of private foundations as well as anti-money laundering and KYC requirements. Alongside 21 jurisdiction-specific chapters (which include jurisdictions where the law is still developing, as well as those with more established systems), the book contains general chapters on the uses of foundations and taxation issues in the UK and US. It thus provides readers with all the information they need to confidently assess and advise on any aspect of private foundations law.

Praise for Private Equity

"Harold Bierman has blended an excellent mix of important principles with real case study examples for a better understanding on a rather sophisticated finance subject."
–Edward M. Dudley, Vice President & General Auditor, ABB Americas

"The role of private equity firms in financing buyouts as well as providing growth capital has expanded significantly in the past decade. In a clear, concise way, Harold Bierman provides a timely and astute analysis of the virtues of private equity as well as creative quantitative methodologies that are applicable to real-life transactions. This book should become essential reading for investors, intermediaries, financial advisors and the management of private, almost private, or soon-to-be private firms."
–James A. Rowan Jr., Managing Director, Investment Banking
Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc.

"As the private equity asset class has grown to over $300 billion in the last three years, Bierman analyzes the fundamentals behind the investment decisions of this increasingly important sector. Once completing the book, you will understand the fundamental analytical framework underlying private equity investment."
–Peter Nolan, Partner, Leonard Green and Partners

"In looking at the private equity arena, Professor Bierman has brought together a diverse group of metrics and valuation formulas into a single text. The book provides a valuable combination of academic theory and real-life case studies. It provides many insights."
–Peter H. Vogel, Vice President, MeadWestvaco Corporation

Recent years have seen increased interest in international philanthropy and cross-border charitable giving. A new generation of high-net-worth individuals, keen to dedicate part of their wealth to philanthropic purposes, and an increasingly global charitable landscape raise a range of complex issues. What is a 'charity'? Does that definition vary from one jurisdiction to another? Are domestic charities taxed differently to foreign organizations? Written by a team of experts from around the world, International Charitable Giving provides a detailed and much-needed treatment of the interaction between the various legal systems at play in this complicated area of the law. By untangling the many issues facing practitioners, it facilitates clear and comprehensive advice to donors and recipients alike. The book provides a comprehensive picture of the most important issues relevant to charitable giving and philanthropy worldwide, including taxation, issues surrounding money laundering and terrorist financing, and the role of EU Law. Alongside a thorough discussion of the broader issues impacting on charitable donation, the book includes a range of chapters on specific national legal systems, including Switzerland, Israel, and Hong Kong, as well as a chapter on Islamic Law. Each of the jurisdictions has been selected because of its tradition of charitable giving and relevance to the transfer of charitable monies internationally, as well as its importance in relation to the jurisprudence in the field. Expertly written, these chapters provide a detailed survey of the laws, regulations, and policies governing charities and their activities in the relevant jurisdiction, together with an examination of the procedures to be followed for tax-efficient transborder charitable giving.

This book provides an economic account of why trusts exist and how trust law should be shaped. The trust is a key legal institution in the common law world but it has been neglected by the law and economics community until recently. Borrowing theories and doctrines from corporate law and economics, scholars have variously analyzed and described the trust as a tripartite contract, a nexus of contracts, and even a legal entity. These obligational approaches overlook the unique features of trusts for which corporate legal theories have no explanation. Most importantly, they fail to account for the nature of the beneficiary's interest in the trust property.
This book presents an original analysis of the common law of trusts, arguing that trust law is about the trust property and the principal parties' relationships with it. At the same time it questions recent trends in trust law, especially those in offshore jurisdictions. Exotic developments such as non-charitable purpose trusts, settlor-retention of wide powers, and generous trustee exemption clauses have become the new normal and, coincidentally, draw analytical support from obligational accounts. It develops an analysis of trusts from a proprietary perspective, and applies the property-based approach to the economic analysis of trusts - explaining the economic benefits of trusts as an extension of the law of property. It also demonstrates how, once trusts are properly understood as property, it becomes obvious why these novel developments can only be for the worse, and should be reversed.

The growing interest in investment in Latin America - particularly in commodities production and real estate development - has increased the use of trusts as investment vehicles throughout Latin America. Written for the English-speaking practitioner, the book covers Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela and provides a practical, clear, and thorough explanation of trusts as legal vehicles for investment in Latin American countries. Trusts in Latin America provides a comprehensive, comparative review of statutes, case law, and examples of trusts in Latin America, and also highlights differences between these countries and common-law systems.

The amendments to the law of wills brought about by the Law of Succession Amendment Act of 1992 have created fundamental changes in South African testamentary law. This book analyzes the Wills Act as now amended. It deals with such topics as language usage generally, taking instruction from would-be testators, the structure of wills, estate duty, the limits to freedom of testation, the interpretation of wills, donation of human tissues, the so-called living will, traps to avoid in drafting, testamentary trusts, and other problems which practitioners commonly have to handle. It discusses important cases which have shaped testamentary law and gives examples of wills and testamentary trusts.