Structure and Justification in Private Law

Book excerpt: Peter Birks's tragically early death, and his immense influence around the world, led immediately to the call for a volume of essays in his honour by scholars who had known him as a colleague, teacher and friend. One such volume, published in 2006, contained essays largely from scholars working in England (Mapping the Law: Essays in Memory of Peter Birks, edited by Andrew Burrows and Lord Rodger). This volume contains the essays of those outside England who chose to honour Peter, and appears later than the English volume, reflecting the far flung habitations of its authors. The essays contained in this volume are focussed around the law of unjust enrichment, but are not narrowly preoccupied - instead they move freely from unjust enrichment to some of the most profound questions in private law concerning taxonomy, the relationship between contract, property and unjust enrichment, and the place of remedies within private law. This volume, featuring the work of some of the world's great private lawyers, provides a fitting tribute to a great scholar, and a series of thought-provoking essays inspired by his example. Contributors Kit Barker Michael Bryan Peter Butler Hanoch Dagan Simone Degeling Daniel Friedmann Mark Gergen Ross Grantham Steve Hedley John McCamus Mitchell McInnes Eoin O'Dell Charles Rickett Struan Scott Emily Sherwin Stephen Smith Richard Sutton Michael Tilbury Stephen Waddams Peter Watts Ernest Weinrib Eric Descheemaeker