When the first edition of Professor Butler's book was published in 1999 it was hailed as the first systematic account of Russian law and the Russian legal system since the demise of the Soviet Union. The second edition built on his examination of Russian law in the context of other legal systems and made a thorough examination of the country's legal institutions and procedural and substantive law. In this third edition the author reviews the law reform of Putin's era, including the impact of decisions of the European Court of Human Rights as sources of Russian Law, a new chapter on insurance law and the essentials of local government law. The book has been updated throughout to include the latest legislation since the last edition, including reform of the law of intellectual property, competition, foreign investment, the legal status of foreigners, treaties, securities, pledge and mortgage, State corporations, the legal profession and the penal system, labor law, taxation, procedure, international arbitration, the judicial system and procuracy, justices of the peace, State structure, and environmental and natural resource law.

Butler's emphasis is on post-Soviet law reform and on the creation of a democratic, market-oriented legal framework which seeks to attract foreign investment. Chapters such as those on entrepreneurial law, securities regulation, banking and insurance, taxation, and the status of foreigners and foreign investment law make this volume an essential purchase for those advising potential investors in Russia and the CIS.

For those with a more academic interest in Russian law there are also chapters on Russian legal history and legal theory, together with a detailed guide to relevant publications and materials.

This authoritative work will be embraced by practicing lawyers, the investment community, government legal advisors, and scholars seeking a comprehensive and practical introduction to the Russian legal system.