This volume records the May 2002 conference in Rome, which featured four distinct areas of discussion and debate: As always, this outstanding annual (the fourth in this series published by Kluwer Law International) continues to offer perspectives that open on ideas in themselves, apart from the demands and responsibilities of knowing and applying the law in busy demanding professional and scholarly environments. For this reason especially it is sure to engage the deep interest of researchers, academics, practitioners, law reform bodies, governmental groups and their advisers working in this complex and varied field of law.