The Inner Temple has announced that Dr Liron Shmilovits' book Legal Fictions in Private Law has been shortlisted for the Main Prize in the triennial book competition.
Dr Shmilovits is Fellow and College Associate Professor at Wolfson College, where he focuses on private law, primarily contract and legal fictions.
Legal Fictions in Private Law was published by Cambridge University Press in January 2022.
Legal fictions are falsehoods that the law knowingly relies on. It is the most bizarre feature of our legal system; we know something is false, and we still assume it. But why do we rely on blatant falsehood? What are the implications of doing so? Should we continue to use fictions, and, if not, what is the alternative? Legal Fictions in Private Law answers these questions in an accessible and engaging manner, looking at the history of fictions, the theory of fictions, and current fictions from a practical perspective. It proposes a solution to what to do about fictions going forward, and how to decide whether they should be accepted or rejected. It addresses the latest literature and deals with the law in detail. This book is a comprehensive analysis of legal fictions in private law and a blueprint for reform.
The winners of the prizes will be announced at an awards ceremony on 2 December 2025.