The second edition of An Introduction to Tort Law offers a clear exposition to the rapidly developing law of tort in Britain. For those coming to the subject for the first time it provides a succinct and thoughtful overview; ideal as an introduction, it will also be of use and interest to those engaged in the course or completing it, for it pulls themes together, illustrates important distinctions and provokes reflection on what has already been learnt.
Many of the areas subjected to analysis and discussion are highly topical, such as the invasion of the privacy of celebrities, and liability for medical mishaps and industrial diseases. On these and many other subjects of relevance in modern society, Weir's comments act as a springboard for further study and reflection, as well as presenting an authoritative overview, enlivened by a fascinating and critical commentary, of the present situation and how we reached it.
The second edition naturally includes recent developments in tort law, the most significant of which is doubtless the incorporation into English law of the European Convention on Human Rights. This has not only affected the outcome in a number of cases, but also brought about changes in our vocabulary, interpretation of enactments, and treatment of precedent, which are rather less easily documented.