The volume offers both a general overview and selected details of Italian private law and its transition from early 20th century legal tradition to a modern legal system based on constitutional values and geared towards European integration.

Among the areas presented are family law, succession, legal persons, businesses and companies, property, contract, and tort. The volume takes into account not only the legislative system, starting from the 1942 Civil Code and highlighting the many and significant changes that have been made in the past six decades, but also the profound influence of case-law and legal scholarship.

The authors emphasise the eclectic but systematically solid foundations of Italian private law, which has been able to blend successfully the best of the diverse continental legal traditions and adapt itself to the ever growing pressure of EU legislation.

The volume is addressed to legal scholars, practitioners and students who wish to gain first hand knowledge of Italian private law in their research, professional or academic activity.