This is a study of the law governing the bank-customer relationship pertaining to the disposition of funds by cheques and credit transfers, covering both paper-based and electronic payments. The work addresses, with various degrees of detail, common law, civilian, and `mixed' jurisdictions, particularly, Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and the United States. In addition to the description of the law in these jurisdictions, the book contains an in-depth analysis of the common issues and the responses to them, in light of desired policies. Accordingly, an evaluation of the various rules and proposals for reform are integral parts of the study. The book is divided into four parts. Part I is an overview of the various legal systems and fundamentals in banking and payment law, in an overall historical context. Part II deals with the banking relationship, within which collections and payments occur. It highlights the customer contract, the deposit transaction, the mandate authorizing bank collections and payments, and the debt resulting from entries to the current account. Part III covers the performance of the mandate. It discusses extensively laws governing the payment and collection of cheques and credit transfers, in the context of actual clearing and settlement mechanisms, particularly large-value transfer systems in developed countries. Part IV is on payment systems misuse through fraud, either in theinitiation payments or in misdirecting them. It discusses cheque forgery, unauthorized electronic funds transfers, forged cheques indorsements, and misdirected funds transfers. A unique feature of the work is the integration of a cohesive analytic perspective, both doctrinal and policy-oriented, into a comparative descriptive framework. The book searches for a universal `law merchant' transcending the boundaries of the various legal systems. It is aimed at the banking and payment law specialist and student as well as to the general comparative lawyer. Its focus on both present law and reform makes it useful to both the academic and practising lawyer.

Written specifically for legal practitioners and students, this book examines the concerns, laws and regulations involved in Electronic Commerce. In just a few years, commerce via the World Wide Web and other online platforms has boomed, and a new field of legal theory and practice has emerged. Legislation has been enacted to keep pace with commercial realities, cyber-criminals and unforeseen social consequences, but the ever-evolving nature of new technologies has challenged the capacity of the courts to respond effectively. This book addresses the legal issues relating to the introduction and adoption of various forms of electronic commerce. From intellectual property, to issues of security and privacy, Alan Davidson looks at the practical changes for lawyers and commercial parties whilst providing a rationale for the underlying legal theory.

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct provides an up-to-date resource for information on legal ethics. Federal, state and local courts in all jurisdictions look to the Rules for guidance in solving lawyer malpractice cases, disciplinary actions, disqualification issues, sanctions questions and much more. In this volume, black-letter Rules of Professional Conduct are followed by numbered Comments that explain each Rule's purpose and provide suggestions for its practical application. The Rules will help you identify proper conduct in a variety of given situations, review those instances where discretionary action is possible, and define the nature of the relationship between you and your clients, colleagues and the courts.