This volume continues the work of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law in 2003 and 2004 in examining through the juxtaposition of civil and common law jurisdictions areas of fundamental importance to estate and trust lawyers internationally. Here we focus upon two themes: the definition of family and the impact of the expansion of the concept of family in law; and family fights over wills and estates - what recourse family members may have in challenging an estate.

Each theme also has contained within it the continuing struggle between private and public: what...