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This thesis consists of this volume together with the book Risk Assessment in Litigation published by Butterworths in 2001. The research presented as a whole represents work conducted over the period from 1999 to 2013 focussing on the assessment of risk in civil litigation in England and Wales in the context of conditional fee agreement and after the event insurance. The published works that form part of the thesis collectively present ‘doctrinal’ and ‘empirical’ legal research, terms considered in the light of the published works and the research underlying them. The initial research project commenced in 1999 and was funded by the European Social Fund, Blake Lapthorn solicitors and Litigation Protection Limited (an insurance intermediary). That project researched the question of whether and if so how a method or methods of risk assessment could be devised that could form the basis of a training programme for litigation solicitors. The outcomes of that research were a set of risk assessment methods that were later formed into a continuing professional development format and delivered across England and Wales. The methods were also incorporated into the book Risk Assessment in Litigation and into Butterworths Costs Service. The thesis sets out via the published works that a positive answer can be and was given to the initial research question. Part of that answer involves defining and researching tacit knowledge and the difficulties inherent in the transfer of tacit knowledge all of which is explored in chapter four: What is legal research? The present volume develops the topic of probability theory as applied to risk assessment in litigation and reviews the treatment of that topic in the original publication Risk Assessment in Litigation and takes the debate further in light of the decision of the Court of Appeal in Motto & Ors v Trafigura Ltd & Anor [2011] EWCA Civ 1150 where the book is cited in the judgment of Lord Neuberger MR. The research presented in this thesis also consists of detailed analysis of the law relating to the funding of civil litigation under conditional fee agreements and after the event legal expenses insurance. Over the period 1999 to 2013 the published works show a development of the law in this field and a change in government policy in respect of the regulation of conditional fee agreements with attendant changes to the law and therefore the practice of litigation. The impact on risk in litigation of these changes is considered in detail in the published works.

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My thesis seeks to resolve key areas of debate regarding the nature of provocation as a defence in English Law, by reference to both historical and philosophical analysis. Academic commentators on the doctrine disagree on whether it should be seen as essentially an excusing condition alone, such as insanity, or should be understood as an excuse involving some element of "partial [moral] justification", such as duress. I seek to resolve this debate by considering at a deeper philosophical level the nature of anger and action in anger. I argue that English Law has historically operated with two equally plausible conceptions of anger, anger as righteous indignation and anger as a loss of self-control. The former was the conception drawn on in the development of the early modern law, and the latter is the conception drawn on in the development of the modern law. I go on to argue that controversy, referred to above, over the nature of provocation as a defence, can be only resolved by making clear the distinction between the two kinds of anger. Action in anger conceived as a loss of self-control bears more of a family resemblance to defences such as (temporary) insanity. Action in anger conceived as righteous indignation bears more of a family resemblance to defences such as duress. I argue that whichever conception of anger is in issue, however, action in anger can be open to moral criticism, because all kinds of action in anger are based on at least a judgment of moral wrongdoing, that may be subject of such criticism. I argue that the law may thus legitimately require at least some moral justification for action in anger before allowing a defence of provocation to be pleaded successfully.

The 24-hour day/night cycle naturally helps to maintain balance and stability within a nocturnal ecosystem. While the rhythms of the natural light-dark cycle of day and night are able maintain a stable balance with ecological and human-made activities in relation to the nature of lighting and darkness, light pollution still significantly reduces average human well-being, impacts on the visibility of faint night sky objects during the night with the naked eye and telescope, and damages the night environment. It can be defined as “every form of artificial light in the wrong place at the wrong time which creates a sky glow, glare, nuisance, and other relevant causes of environmental degradation including some properties of artificial light which emit non-environmentally friendly or inappropriate light.” Light pollution can reduce human health, interfere with the nocturnal and/or dark-sky environment, reduce transportation safety and waste lighting energy consumption. Therefore, hard laws and soft laws from international and national jurisdictions established a duty on local authorities to manage outdoor lights and control all key elements of light pollution so as to ensure that people are not exposed to risks to the night environment. These also include environmental risks arising from a sky glow when measuring the non-environmentally atmospheric smog that hangs over urban areas at night where the level of exterior lighting from outdoor light sources is relatively high. However, English law does not contain stage processes and responsibilities for local authorities to deal with all aspects of outdoor light pollution. It also does not contain powers concerning the use of certain measurable degrees of non-environmentally friendly light metric, together with powers for the Government to approve a single framework for the minimisation of sky glow in public atmospheric areas at night. The main purpose of this study is to use comparative law studies to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of light pollution laws in different jurisdictions where adopted legislation has been designed to limit light pollution from outdoor light fixtures and design, and to improve national or local light pollution regulatory frameworks by providing better outdoor lighting practices through making valuable contributions to a comparison of international, European, national and local light pollution laws and to the improvement of regulatory measures in English legal system. It also proposes to do so by illustrating key differences between England and other jurisdictions and examining a set of necessary or proportional regulatory standards to combat light pollution. This research’s review of the jurisdictions and the legal systems available for both light pollution control and sustainable lighting practices has highlighted the recent evidence of such influence of hard and soft law on legislation in selected countries. When comparative law on different jurisdictions is discussed, the influence of a comparative approach in each national or municipal light pollution law is, at most, one of finding inspiration in the procedure of establishing a number of necessary steps to reforming the English law of light pollution control in favour of a better solution. Taking legal action to reduce the effects of non-environmentally friendly or unnecessary lights at night provides an excellent opportunity to deliver further benefits to both environmental lighting practices and energy efficiency. This research also highlights the key legal aspects concerning light pollution and outlines the ways in which regulators and policy makers can make the most of the interconnections between regulatory measures to address key elements of outdoor light pollution, such as sky glow, glare and intrusive light. It is intended to outline a wider vision for how English law can prevent all key elements of light pollution. This research also comparatively examines why England should be committed to ensuring that the English regulatory measures compare favourably with the global and regional light pollution control standards in the highest performing jurisdictions, and establishes stringent legal requirements for light pollution control which measure up to the highest standards set internationally. In the final Chapter we present useful recommendations which highlight instances in which England should be able to promote the application of necessary principles and stage processes through comparative effectiveness for outdoor lighting practices by applying international, regional and national criteria for different forms of outdoor lighting practices.

Yes / A party to arbitration has the right to challenge an award if the party so chooses. A challenge may seek to vacate (annul or set aside), suspend, or remit the award to the arbitrator due to an error on the face of the award or due to an injustice in its rendering. The scheme for challenging an award is a vital aspect of the arbitration process and serves as a safeguard against corruption, arbitrariness, and bias, while also providing a mechanism for balancing the arbitral process. What is more critical in the annulment scheme, however, is the courts’ attitude toward a challenge to an award.This article discussesthe policy issuesthat English courts weigh when considering whether to annul an award. Additionally, it examines the question of annulment of awards on legal grounds, using English case law to indicate the approach Nigerian courts may take when asked to annul an award on the basis that the arbitrator’s ruling on a legal point is clearly erroneous. It contends and concludes that Nigerian courts’ pragmatic attitude to annulment claims based on arbitrator’s misconduct and/or improper ordering of arbitral procedures or awards will increase the efficacy of international arbitration in Nigeria, just as it does in England.

Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Judicial management has been part of South African company law since 1926. It was introduced as a procedure to provide for a corporate rescue. Judicial management has changed little since its introduction. This is in stark contrast with the position in other jurisdictions where the need for improved corporate or business rescue procedures has received considerable attention in the last few decades. This thesis examines the suitability of judicial management as a business rescue procedure for the current South African circumstances and compares it to similar mechanisms in England and Australia. The modem economy relies on credit. Furthermore the globalisation of markets and the increase in competition between enterprises add to the unpredictability of an enterprise's economic circumstances. Thus, one of the important objectives of a corporate insolvency regime is the preservation of viable economic enterprises. A business rescue procedure such as judicial management is therefore an essential component of a corporate insolvency regime. However, judicial management needs reform. The existing shortcomings of judicial management include its high cost, the appointment of professional liquidators as business rescuers, the lack of a business rescue culture, the absence of an approved rescue plan, the treatment of judicial management as an extraordinary measure in corporate insolvency and the use of section 311 of the Companies Act as a corporate rescue mechanism. This thesis proposes that judicial management should commence with a mere resolution by the directors. This is less cumbersome than the existing procedure to commence judicial management comprising a court order. Judicial management triggers a stay of limited duration on legal proceedings that provides an essential breathing space to devise and implement a rescue plan. Once judicial management commences the creditors should hold the power to decide on the future of the company. They can therefore accept or reject a rescue plan (prepared by the judicial manager) for the restructuring of current rights and obligations and for the future management of the company. During judicial management and the execution of the rescue plan, control of the company's assets vests in the judicial manager and directors lose their powers of management. Judicial managers should be encouraged to make a success of judicial management by providing that the judicial manager cannot be appointed as the liquidator in a subsequent liquidation. Furthermore, the burden of the costs of judicial management could be eased by providing a more flexible system for the remuneration of the judicial manager. A statutory business rescue procedure interacts with other components of an insolvency regime and other areas of law. In order to optimise the positive effects of a business rescue procedure certain changes are proposed regarding statutory provisions on insolvent trading, the phenomenon of phoenix companies, section 311 of the Companies Act and tax legislation. The thesis also proposes a smooth transition from judicial management to voluntary liquidation. The thesis has an annexure with draft legislation to give effect to the principal changes proposed by it for the Companies Act. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geregtelike bestuur is reeds sedert 1926 deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappyereg. Dit is ingestel as 'n prosedure om maatskappye van ondergang te red. Geregtelike bestuur het sedertdien min verander. Dit is in skerp teenstelling met ander jurisdiksies wat die afgelope paar dekades toegewy gewerk het aan prosedures om korporasies en besighede te red. Hierdie tesis ondersoek die toepaslikheid van geregtelike bestuur as 'n prosedure om in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede besighede van ondergang te red en vergelyk dit met soortgelyke prosedures in Engeland en Australië. Moderne ekonomieë se afhanklikheid van krediet, die globalisering van markte en die toename in mededinging tussen ondernemings dra by tot die wisselvallige ekonomiese omstandighede van 'n onderneming. Die redding van lewensvatbare ondernemings is gevolglik 'n belangrike doelstelling van korporatiewe insolvensiereg. Daarom is 'n prosedure soos geregtelike bestuur om ondernemings te red 'n onontbeerlike element van korporatiewe insolvensiereg. Geregtelike bestuur moet egter hervorm word. Geregtelike bestuur het verskeie tekortkominge waaronder hoë regskoste, die aanstelling van professionele likwidateurs as persone om ondernemings te red, die gebrek aan 'n kultuur om ondernemings te red, die afwesigheid van 'n goedgekeurde reddingsplan, die hantering van geregtelike bestuur as 'n buitengewone remedie in korporatiewe insolvensiereg en die gebruik van artikel 311 van die Maatskappywet as 'n meganisme om maatskappye van likwidasie te red. Die tesis stel voor dat geregtelike bestuur met 'n blote direksiebesluit in werking gestel word. Dit is minder belemmerend as die hofbevel waarmee geregtelike bestuur tans begin word. Geregtelike bestuur stel'n moratorium van beperkte duur in werking waartydens geen geregtelike prosesse teen die maatskappyaanhangig gemaak of voortgesit kan word nie. Dit gee die maatskappy die nodige grasie om 'n reddingsplan uit te werk en te implementeer. Opsomming Geregtelike bestuur is reeds sedert 1926 deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappyereg. Dit is ingestel as 'n prosedure om maatskappye van ondergang te red. Geregtelike bestuur het sedertdien min verander. Dit is in skerp teenstelling met ander jurisdiksies wat die afgelope paar dekades toegewy gewerk het aan prosedures om korporasies en besighede te red. Hierdie tesis ondersoek die toepaslikheid van geregtelike bestuur as 'n prosedure om in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede besighede van ondergang te red en vergelyk dit met soortgelyke prosedures in Engeland en Australië. Moderne ekonomieë se afhanklikheid van krediet, die globalisering van markte en die toename in mededinging tussen ondernemings dra by tot die wisselvallige ekonomiese omstandighede van 'n onderneming. Die redding van lewensvatbare ondernemings is gevolglik 'n belangrike doelstelling van korporatiewe insolvensiereg. Daarom is 'n prosedure soos geregtelike bestuur om ondernemings te red 'n onontbeerlike element van korporatiewe insolvensiereg. Geregtelike bestuur moet egter hervorm word. Geregtelike bestuur het verskeie tekortkominge waaronder hoë regskoste, die aanstelling van professionele likwidateurs as persone om ondernemings te red, die gebrek aan 'n kultuur om ondernemings te red, die afwesigheid van 'n goedgekeurde reddingsplan, die hantering van geregtelike bestuur as 'n buitengewone remedie in korporatiewe insolvensiereg en die gebruik van artikel 311 van die Maatskappywet as 'n meganisme om maatskappye van likwidasie te red. Nadat geregtelike bestuur in aanvang geneem het behoort die krediteure die mag te hê om oor die toekoms van die maatskappy te besluit. Krediteure sou 'n reddingsplan (voorberei deur die geregtelike bestuurder) wat vir die herstrukturering van die regte en verpligtinge van die maatskappy en vir sy toekomstige bestuur voorsiening maak kon aanvaar of verwerp. Gedurende geregtelike bestuur en die uitvoering van die reddingsplan vestig die beheer oor die bates van die maatskappy in die geregtelike bestuurder. Die direksie verloor terselfdertyd alle bestuursbevoegdhede. Geregtelike bestuurders behoort aangemoedig te word om 'n sukses van die geregtelike bestuur te maak deur te bepaal dat 'n geregtelike bestuurder nie as likwidateur aangestel kan word indien die maatskappy uiteindelik gelikwideer word nie. Die las van hoë koste kan verlig word deur 'n buigsame stelsel van vergoeding vir die geregtelike bestuurder in te stel. 'n Statutêre reddingsprosedure vir ondernemings staan in wisselwerking met ander elemente van korporatiewe insolvensiereg en ander regsgebiede. Ten einde die positiewe uitwerking van 'n reddingsprosedure vir ondernemings te optimaliseer word sekere veranderinge ten opsigte van die wetgewing met betrekking tot handeldryf in insolvente omstandighede, die verskynsel van "phoenix" maatskappye, artikel 311 van die Maatskappywet en belastingwetgewing voorgestel. Die tesis stelook 'n gladde oorskakeling van geregtelike bestuur na vrywillige likwidasie voor. Die tesis sluit ook 'n aanhangsel met voorgestelde wetgewing in om uitvoering te gee aan die belangrikste veranderinge aan die Maatskappywet wat in die tesis voorgestel word.