The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies was founded in 1947, although the idea for a national law library and centre for research was conceived over 50 year before this. Since its foundation, the IALS has developed a library of international standing and has been able to foster and promote legal research not only in Britain but around the world. It performs a unique role in the United Kingdon and the Commonwealth and an increasingly important one in Europe. To commemorate the Institute's jubilee and the inaurgation of the Society for Advanced Legal Studies, the present Director has assembled a series of papers which not only trace the Institute's development into an institution for the advancement of legal research of world-class standing, but also illustrate the depth of spport that it enjoys.

This second volume focuses on the quest for a legal form for small businesses. The debate as to whether the traditional registered company, perhaps with some modification, is an appropriate vehicle for small enterprises has continued in Britain, and to a lesser extent in Europe, for well over 30 years. The imperative behind reform in this area of the law in many cases will be political and this is perhaps most dramatically illustrated in the case of South Africa. The British heritage of South African law renders South Africa's approach to developing appropriate legal forms for small enterprises of considerable interest to Europe. Consequently, the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in collaboration with the Centre for Business Law of the University of the Orange Free State organized a conference in London in the Autumn of 1997 on the search for an ideal form for small businesses. The discussions were chaired by Professor A.J. Boyle and Professor Johan Henning and ranged across a broad spectrum of issues.

This work consists of a selection of key papers presented at the first Anglo-Japanese Comparative Law Conference, held at Jesus College, Cambridge in September 1996. The conference was organized under the auspices of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London; the University of Tsukuba, Japan; and Murdoch University in Australia. The conference brought together a number of leading business lawyers from around the world, who discussed the impact of globalization on commercial law. If the internalization of trade and business has produced problems for lawyers, the impact of globalization, particularly in such areas as the capital markets, has proved to be even more problematic. The implications for all those who operate in the commercial and financial sectors, and for those who advise them, of developments in the nature and character of the markets are increasingly significant. The publication should be of interest to academics, those involved in trans-national business, and legal practitioners.

Professor Leonard Sealy has spent almost 50 years studying and teaching law in Cambridge. A good proportion of this time has been occupied with matters relating to company law. As a scholar, teacher, author, law reformer and even draftsman Len Sealy's contribution to the refinement and improvement of structures, rules and most importantly ideas has been significant. Therefore the occasion of his retirement as the first S.J. Berwin Professor of Corporate Law in the University of Cambridge has afforded a number of leading company lawyers from around the world, many his former students or colleagues, an opportunity to address a series of important legal issues relating to companies and associated areas of commercial law and practice, in his honour.

This work contains a selection of key papers presented at the 14th International Symposium on Economic Crime, which had as its central theme the prevention and control of corrupt practices. Whether the major issue centres on the control of economic crime, the protection of developing economies or those in transition, the ever-present threat of corruption remains predominant. Corruption and associated abuses attack from within the integrity and thus the efficiency and efficacy of institutions, both in the public and private sectors. Whilst the threat inevitably has an external aspect the consequences occur within government or the enterprise in question. Therefore the control of corrupt practices requires more than any other threat, an integrated strategy involving preventive and response measures facing both outwards and inwards. All aspects of the problem of corruption are addressed on a multidisciplinary basis and cover a variety of jurisdictions. These proceedings should be of interest to law enforcement officers, lawyers, and bankers.