The Construction of Commercial Contracts by Professor J.W. Carter is an ambitious_x000D_ book. Its stated aim is to "explain as a coherent whole the principles which regulate_x000D_ the construction of commercial contracts" (at p. vii). As will be seen, it more than_x000D_ meets this lofty aim, and is a valuable contribution to an area of work that is not_x000D_ only difficult, but also of immense practical importance. The book achieves its aim_x000D_ by explaining construction as constituting three separate stages: the identification of_x000D_ context (and terms), the determination of the meaning (and legal effect) of a contract,_x000D_ and, finally, the application of a contract to the factual circumstances that have arisen_x000D_ (see p. vii). This central thesis is primarily supplemented by detailed references to English and Australian law, but references to other Commonwealth jurisdictions (including Singapore), as well as the UNIDROIT principles, CISG and the American Restatement (Second) of Contracts, are also made where relevant. The structural result is a book neatly organised around seven parts, with Parts I to III setting out the general concepts and themes behind the book, in addition to the general principles that apply to the construction of commercial contracts.

The law of unfair competition stands at the intersection between several spheres of_x000D_ law: these include tort law, antitrust law, intellectual property law, consumer protection_x000D_ law and various statutory regimes regulating specific areas of commercial_x000D_ conduct. Given the divergence between the legal traditions of different legal systems,_x000D_ particularly between the common law and civil law based jurisdictions, the organisational structure of this area of the law varies dramatically from country to country. The scope of unfair competition encompasses areas of conduct as diverse as product design, sales, advertising, marketing and other commercial dealings with a trader's competitors, customers, and parties upstream or downstream from the business. While all these legal systems recognise the importance of regulating the behaviour of traders in the marketplace to ensure compliance with their respective ethical norms of fair conduct and honesty, their individual approaches towards responding to these issues depend very much upon the architecture of their respective legal regimes.