header-logo header-logo

Book review: Good Faith in Contract Law

28 February 2025 / Charles Wynn-Evans
Issue: 8106 / Categories: Features , Contract
printer mail-detail
"This work more than fulfils its stated objective of seeking to be of use both to practitioners and academics alike"
  • Author: Christina Perry
  • Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
  • ISBN: 978-1-80392-965-1
  • RRP: £155

In contrast to various other legal systems, the contract law of England and Wales has traditionally rejected the imposition on contractual parties of a general duty of good faith, and has addressed potentially problematic conduct by the contractual parties by way of specific legal techniques such as misrepresentation, duress, and the implication of terms (whether in law or in fact). As Lord Justice Bingham put it in Interfoto Picture Library Ltd v Stiletto Visual Programmes Ltd [1987] EWCA Civ 6, the approach of English law has been to develop ‘piecemeal solutions in response to demonstrated problems of unfairness’.

The approach adopted in domestic contract law has, however, changed significantly over the past few years following the decision in Yam Seng Pte Ltd v International Trade Corporation Ltd [2013] EWHC 111 (QB), in which an implied

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gilson Gray—Linda Pope

Gilson Gray—Linda Pope

Partner joins family law team inLondon

Jackson Lees Group—five promotions

Jackson Lees Group—five promotions

Private client division announces five new partners

Taylor Wessing—Max Millington

Taylor Wessing—Max Millington

Banking and finance team welcomes partner in London

NEWS
The landmark Supreme Court’s decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd—along with Rukhadze v Recovery Partners—redefine fiduciary duties in commercial fraud. Writing in NLJ this week, Mary Young of Kingsley Napley analyses the implications of the rulings
Barristers Ben Keith of 5 St Andrew’s Hill and Rhys Davies of Temple Garden Chambers use the arrest of Simon Leviev—the so-called Tinder Swindler—to explore the realities of Interpol red notices, in this week's NLJ
Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys [2025] has upended assumptions about who may conduct litigation, warn Kevin Latham and Fraser Barnstaple of Kings Chambers in this week's NLJ. But is it as catastrophic as first feared?
Lord Sales has been appointed to become the Deputy President of the Supreme Court after Lord Hodge retires at the end of the year
Limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are reportedly in the firing line in Chancellor Rachel Reeves upcoming Autumn budget
back-to-top-scroll