Title: Ford, Austin, and Ramsay's Principles of Corporations Law, 17th Edition

Authors: Robert P. Austin, Ian Ramsay

Overview: "Ford, Austin, and Ramsay's Principles of Corporations Law" is a comprehensive textbook that provides an authoritative treatment of Australian company law. The book is written by experts in the field and is updated to reflect recent amendments and developments in corporate law. It is widely regarded as a high-level textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as a valuable resource for practitioners in the field.

Key Themes:

1. Companies and Company Law: The book begins with an introduction to the nature and functions of companies, followed by chapters on the origins of company law and the regulation of companies.
2. A Company as a Corporate Entity: This section delves into the incorporation process, formation, promotion, and establishment of companies.
3. Corporate Governance: It covers corporate governance rules, the role of the board of directors, general meetings, acting properly and with care, conflicts of interest, and special cases.
4. Corporate Liability: The book explores corporate capacity, authority to act for a company, a company's assent to transactions, validation and ratification of defective transactions.
5. Corporate Control and Restructuring: This section includes chapters on a company's liability for civil and criminal actions.
6. Corporate Finance: It discusses equity finance, dividends, debt finance, protection of creditors, dealings with security holdings, fundraising by issue and sale of securities, takeovers, and disclosure of shareholdings.
7. External Administration: The final part covers external administration in insolvency generally, receiverships, voluntary administration, and winding up.

Critical Reception: The book is highly respected in academic and professional circles for its comprehensive coverage of Australian company law. It is praised for its authoritative treatment of key issues and its ability to draw upon the experience of its expert contributors. The 17th edition is particularly noted for its updates reflecting recent legislative changes and judicial decisions, making it a valuable resource for both students and practitioners.

Critical Quotes:

• "This text provides an authoritative treatment of Australian company law and is updated to reflect recent amendments in the field." (Source: )
• "It tackles all of the key issues for practitioners in the field today, drawing upon the experience of its expert contributors, many working within the most prestigious firms." (Source: )

Table of Contents: The book is structured into seven parts, each covering a significant aspect of corporate law. The detailed table of contents is available in various sources, including and .

In summary, "Ford, Austin, and Ramsay's Principles of Corporations Law" is a seminal work in the field of Australian corporate law, offering a comprehensive and authoritative guide that is essential for both academic and professional purposes.