Why am I passionate about this?

I've been fascinated by the role of fiduciaries for over 30 years, and particularly by the laws that seek to bring some level of control to the vast power that they have to influence the lives of others – that power exists for the benefit of others, but equally creates a vulnerability to abuse which the law rightly regulates. That regulation differs across jurisdictions, which makes it interesting to study and think about. I have degrees from New Zealand, the US (Michigan), and the UK (Cambridge), which have positioned me well to consider the twists and turns in the story that is the common law’s attempt to grapple with this fascinating and vital social institution.


I wrote

Fiduciary Loyalty: Protecting the Due Performance of Non-Fiduciary Duties

By Matthew Conaglen,

Book cover of Fiduciary Loyalty: Protecting the Due Performance of Non-Fiduciary Duties

What is my book about?

In this book I provide a comprehensive analysis of the nature and function of the legal doctrines that seek to…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Fiduciary Obligations

Matthew Conaglen Why did I love this book?

This book is the pre-eminent authoritative study of fiduciary obligations in Anglo-Australian law. 

It was the first book to thoroughly examine the way in which fiduciary duties apply across a number of different kinds of fiduciary actor, rather than looking at different kinds of fiduciaries separately. It made a massive contribution to the scholarly literature on fiduciary duties, and was an inspiration for the research that I conducted when writing my book. 

The book was written by Professor Finn early in his career, long before he became a judge in Australia, and showcases what can be done with careful analysis of apparently unconnected case law, and the advance in understanding that this sort of analysis can offer.  

By Paul Finn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fiduciary Obligations as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Fiduciary Law

Matthew Conaglen Why did I love this book?

This book provides a useful counterpoint to the analysis offered in my book, given it focuses on the US perspective on fiduciary duties. 

Professor Frankel has been writing about fiduciary duties for decades, and is a grand dame of the academy – she writes lucidly and makes cogent arguments for the way legal regulation (of various kinds) should tackle real-world problems of disloyalty.

By Tamar T Frankel,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fiduciary Law as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In Fiduciary Law, Tamar Frankel examines the structure, principles, themes, and objectives of fiduciary law. Fiduciaries, which include corporate managers, money managers, lawyers, and physicians among others, are entrusted with money or power. Frankel explains how fiduciary law is designed to offer protection from abuse of this method of safekeeping. She deals with fiduciaries in general, and identifies situations in which fiduciary law falls short of
offering protection. Frankel analyzes fiduciary debates, and argues that greater preventive measures are required. She offers guidelines for determining the boundaries and substance of fiduciary law, and discusses how failure to enforce fiduciary law…


Ad

Book cover of The Good Woman's Guide to Making Better Choices

The Good Woman's Guide to Making Better Choices By Liz Foster,

A heart-warming and hilarious novel about the highs and lows of marriage, fraud, and goat’s cheese.

Libby Popovic is a country girl who’s now living a golden life in Bondi with her confident financier husband Ludo, and their two children. When Ludo is jailed for financial fraud, and Libby’s friends…

Book cover of The Oxford Handbook of Fiduciary Law

Matthew Conaglen Why did I love this book?

This book is an encyclopedic treatment of fiduciary law, covering the application of fiduciary duties in a multitude of different kinds of fiduciary relationships as well as the history of the doctrine and its application in various different legal systems. 

For anyone interested in the regulation and control of fiduciary actors, this is an outstanding resource.  

By Evan J. Criddle (editor), Paul B. Miller (editor), Robert H. Sitkoff (editor)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Oxford Handbook of Fiduciary Law as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Oxford Handbook of Fiduciary Law provides a comprehensive overview of critical topics in fiduciary law and theory through chapters authored by leading scholars. The Handbook opens with surveys of the many fields of law in which fiduciary duties arise, including agency law, trust law, corporate law, pension law, bankruptcy law, family law, employment law, legal representation, health care, and international law. Drawing on these surveys, the Handbook
offers a synthetic analysis of fiduciary law's key concepts and principles.

Chapters in the Handbook explore the defining features of fiduciary relationships, clarify the distinctive fiduciary duties that arise in these relationships,…


Explore my book 😀

Fiduciary Loyalty: Protecting the Due Performance of Non-Fiduciary Duties

By Matthew Conaglen,

Book cover of Fiduciary Loyalty: Protecting the Due Performance of Non-Fiduciary Duties

What is my book about?

In this book I provide a comprehensive analysis of the nature and function of the legal doctrines that seek to elicit loyalty from fiduciaries (people who act on behalf of others, like agents, lawyers, trustees, company directors, etc). The discussion is focused on UK and Australian law, which provides an important counterpoint to US understandings of the concept of fiduciary loyalty. The central argument is that fiduciary duties in Anglo-Australian law operate – and have operated consistently in this way for over 200 years – differently from other kinds of legal duties: they provide a subsidiary and prophylatic form of protection to other duties owed by the fiduciary, seeking to insulate the fiduciary from temptations and influences that are likely to interfere with the proper performance of those others duties.  

Book cover of Fiduciary Obligations
Book cover of Fiduciary Law
Book cover of The Oxford Handbook of Fiduciary Law

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,583

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 You might also like…

Book cover of The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever

The Coaching Habit By Michael Bungay Stanier,

The coaching book that's for all of us, not just coaches.

It's the best-selling book on coaching this century, with 15k+ online reviews. Brené Brown calls it "a classic". Dan Pink said it was "essential".

It is practical, funny, and short, and "unweirds" coaching. Whether you're a parent, a teacher,…

Book cover of The Squiggly Line Career: How Changing Professions Can Advance a Career in Unexpected Ways

The Squiggly Line Career By Angela Champ,

When we're children, we're asked what we want to be when we grow up. But what if there isn't just one career for us in our lifetime? What if we can have a squiggly line career that spans professions and industries?

This book will guide job seekers on the traits…

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in law, lawyers, and court trials?

Law 177 books
Lawyers 90 books
Court Trials 35 books