Immaculate study on the pitfalls of service

Many of us found ourselves at a loose end during the first Covid lockdown and embarked on projects to pass the time. But few would have embarked on something as ambitious as the pair of commercial barristers who decided to write this extremely useful guide.

Some six years later, this book is now available – and I would strongly recommend it to any civil practitioner. The logical structure guides the reader through the rules and potential pitfalls. Footnotes provide additional context and links to relevant case law. 

One might imagine the topic to be quite narrow, but the book runs to almost 500 pages. Every nook and cranny of service in civil proceedings is covered in depth and with total clarity. The authors find a relevant piece of case law for almost everything. Does it count if I leave the documents at the wrong reception, but at the correct address? Do I need confirmation that the defendant will accept service by email? And so on.

I can recall many times when this text would have been of great use in my legal career and I have no doubt that I will consult it many times. The book also makes one realise how many things can potentially go wrong. It is essential to make sure that service is effected correctly in any civil proceedings, otherwise a claim can quickly become derailed and leave the practitioner open to a potential professional negligence claim.

The structure of this book is immaculate and the contents are remarkably thorough.

Lee Wall is a senior associate with Irvings Law in Liverpool