New Books: Specialty Law

American Grasslands provides a comprehensive review of select laws and policies that have shaped modern western agriculture. Through compelling stories of both famous and lesser-known ranches, the book explores the trajectory of law and policy that has consolidated power in western ranchers and agricultural enterprises. Drawing lessons from historical events such as the Dust Bowl and the current climate and extinction crises, the book illustrates the harmful externalities of agricultural activity and the need for meaningful reform. The book also addresses recent national calls for social and racial justice in the context of western agriculture and public resources like water, land, and wildlife. After highlighting the problems created by current laws and policies, the book offers practical recommendations for future legal and policy reform. American Grasslands is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and future of western agriculture and the role of law and policy in shaping it.

This book approaches space law from the angle of legal comparison. In a new phase of exploration and exploitation of outer space characterised by an increasing presence and role of commercial entities, problems inherent in systems of private law arise in a special context and require specific legal answers. Through a comparative method, this book systematises the complex legal spacescape concerning some fundamental concepts rooted in the various national systems of private law: natural and legal persons, property rights, liability, contracts, and securities. These analyses form a handbook of private law in the context of outer space.

In the dynamic and complex world of modern engineering and construction projects, successful execution relies on a seamless integration of design, construction, and project management. Design-Build & EPC Contracting offers an indispensable guide to navigating the intricacies of Design-Build and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracting. In this comprehensive book, industry experts provide a holistic view of the Design-Build and EPC processes, breaking down their core principles, strategies, and best practices. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a newcomer to the field, this book will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of construction and engineering projects. Key Features include: An overview of the fundamentals of Design-Build and EPC delivery methods Exploration of the contract types and key clauses utilized on Design-Build and EPC projects Comparison of the similarities and differences between Design-Build and EPC contracts A toolkit of practical advice on related topics such as licensing, insurance procurement and dispute resolution. Design-Build & EPC Contracting is an essential resource for engineers, design professionals, project managers, legal professionals, and anyone involved in the construction and engineering sectors.

This introduction to music law is a compact guide to the legal issues that arise in all corners of the music industry, with particular emphasis on the decisions faced by songwriters and performing artists throughout their careers. The book covers all relevant aspects of copyright law, such as authorship, termination rights, re-recording rights, infringement, and fair use. It gives detailed attention to the roles of publishers, rights administrators, record labels, PROs, SoundExchange, and the new Mechanical Licensing Collective, and explains the array of contracts that are crucial to music exploitation, including publishing agreements, recording contracts, mechanical licenses, synchronization licenses, public performance licenses, and master recording licenses. The complex licensing scheme that applies to streaming platforms is explained in a user-friendly manner. Key aspects of trademark law are considered, including the ownership of band names. The book also explores an artist's right to prevent the misappropriation of his or her personal identity, including name, likeness, and voice, and addresses topical issues and legislative developments related to artificial intelligence, postmortem rights, and digital replicas. Where the assertion of intellectual property rights threatens artistic freedom, First Amendment protection for creative expression receives thorough attention.

This book maps out the moral, legal and societal issues brought forth by the use of autonomous systems such as AI and smart robots in outer space. Humanity is on the brink of a new space era in which projects for permanent human colonies on the Moon and space missions with autonomous AI systems will soon become a reality. Principles and provisions of international space law fall increasingly short in tackling this scenario. Experts and institutions have recommended improvements to the legal framework, such as new international agreements, or policies that would not require any amendment to conventional law. Most of the time, such proposals and recommendations overlook the challenges posed by technology and how autonomous and intelligent systems in outer space require moral and legal standards of their own. This book argues that the traditional focus on satellite communications, space-related services, and the appropriability of celestial resources needs to be integrated by new laws of outer space regulating cybersecurity law and environmental law, data governance and consumer protection. The new laws of outer space will increasingly concern the development of new standards for the behaviour and decision-making of AI systems and smart robots, with and without humans aboard deep space missions and in next-generation colonies. What laws shall govern us out there, in a new terra incognita? This is the question that the book sets out to answer.

Aerospace Law and Policy Series Space resource activities--better known as "space mining"--is the next step in humankind's utilization of outer space. Previous space activities have belatedly caused us to realize that fragile environments do not end with Earth's atmosphere. Today, the most striking problem is the agglomeration and increasing generation of nonfunctional space objects (space debris) in orbit. Tomorrow, with the development of new space activities, unanticipated environmental problems will arise beyond Earth orbit. This book seeks to anticipate the inevitable legal framework that will need to be put in place and, in particular, considers the necessity to create legal standards to support the environmental sustainability of space resource activities. To that end, the book assesses the efficiency of existing space law in addressing environmental threats and reflects on the potential contribution international environmental law can offer. The array of applicable mechanisms considered includes a detailed examination of the following: what kind of environmental problems may arise from space resource activities; which norms of international law are relevant in addressing these threats within the framework of sustainability; the United Nations Space Treaties; domestic space legislations that directly address space resource activities or that are particularly significant from an environmental perspective; and soft law, especially instruments and guidelines from international organizations acting in the space sector, such as the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). Contrary to a common idea, space resources--such as the ones found in situ on celestial bodies--are limited and need to be managed rationally. It is indubitable that activities beyond Earth orbit will have an impact on the surrounding environment, raising a host of potential issues, which go beyond the question of debris, such as contamination and the risk of overexploitation. Ultimately, this book drafts the roadmap for the environmentally sustainable exploitation of space resources from a legal standpoint and proposes a sustainability framework articulated around a set of standards. Concerned lawyers and policymakers worldwide will greatly appreciate the book's set of objective standards and concrete measures. This practical approach, which includes the comprehensive review of instruments governing space activities, will lead them to navigate with assurance the different normative levels of legal action for astro-environmentalism.