International personal and business contacts have become widespread, although it is a fact that legal affairs beyond one´s own borders remain stubbornly embedded in their national frameworks. Nevertheless, exposure to a foreign legal system can occur for a myriad of reasons; one cannot keep one´s head in the sand. Moreover, successful strategic decisions often require, or are accompanied by, detailed legal advice and research.
With particular reference to Germany, this book seeks to help bridge the gap. It endeavours to explain in the English language the structure and concepts of some of the main areas of German public and private law i.e. to elucidate the “stuff” of German law. The book outlines the German federal system, drawing attention to many of the innumerable norms and fundamental principles contained in the common German codes. Supplementing the text are extensive notes and a select German/English legal vocabulary which, together, provide readers with the necessary tools in order to obtain a reliable overview of the rules, methods and terminology of German law.
The 7th edition of German Legal System and Legal Language has undergone substantial revision throughout and there has been much amendment and reorganization since publication of the last edition in 2015. Volume 1 contains the substantive chapters and volume 2 includes materials that are ancillary to volume 1.