For any reader needing a concise yet expert explanation of a subject in law The New Oxford Companion to Law is the ideal reference work. Providing greater depth than can be found in legal dictionaries but always accessible to the non-specialist, entries in the Companion cover all areas of law and legal systems and are extensively cross-referenced for ease of navigation. The Companion draws upon the expertise of over 700 scholars and practitioners, offering the widest possible range of perspectives on legal topics.Consisting in over 1700 alphabetically arranged entries, the Companion features: * The fundamentals of all the major areas of law such as criminal law, tax and social security law, human rights law, family and employment law, education law, sports law, international and EU law * The role and workings of legal institutions such as parliaments, courts, law schools, and international bodies such as the EU and the UN * Leading cases, famous trials and distinguished lawyers, past and present * Major events in legal history and major debates in legal theory * Twenty pages of rich illustrations, bringing the content to life The Companion will appeal to the interested citizen, students applying for law courses at university, law students, and also to advanced readers who are already familiar with the law who will enjoy reading the engagingly written accounts of areas that they know as well as many that they don't.