Product Description
The 7th Edition continues earlier editions' conceptualization of the role, purposes and substance of Local Government Law. Early chapters both describe the legal characteristics of the myriad local government units and challenge the students to recognize the competing models of local government that undergird both the classic and recent cases in state and federal court. Later chapters take that theoretical understanding to a more practical arena, exploring local government powers, the state-local relationship, local government finance, and local government service provision. The Seventh Edition contains an enhanced treatment of school finance litigation as an emblematic example of interlocal inequality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

State and Local Gov't
Book was in great shape. Minimal highlighting and writing, plus book arrived in 3 days. Great seller

The Best Book On The Subject!
William Valente's (et. al) "Cases And Materials On State And Local Government Law" is a fantastic text on the subject.
For interested Law Students or the Attorney who needs to know about the subject, this book provides a very clear understanding.

The text is filled with a detailed introduction and is proliferated with the landmark cases that shaped the law.

Topics include: State & local finance, revenues, borrowing and debt limitations, tort liability, national powers in state and federal relations, state sovereignty, local boundaries, municipal incorporation, state constitutional limitations, preemption, etc.

An example of the rich and detailed sources the text draws from is this excerpt(p.19) from the informative introduction to the subject: ". . . [T]he strength of free peoples resides in the local community.Local institutions are to liberty what primary schools are to science; they put it within the people's reach; they teach people to appreciate its peaceful enjoyment and accustom them to make use of it.Without local institutions a nation may give itself a free government, but it has not got the spirit of liberty . . ." ---Alexis de Tocqueville, "Democracy In America."

Everything covering the expanse and scope from "home rule charter" to the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is covered here.Great text.Five stars. ... Read more

Product Description
In order to be effective, federal ethics law must address sources of systematic corruption rather than simply address motives that individual government employees might have to betray the public trust (such as personal financial holdings or family relationships).Getting the Government America Deserves articulates a general approach to combating systemic corruption as well as some specific proposals for doing so. Federal ethics law is relatively unknown in legal academia and elsewhere outside of Washington, D.C., but it is binding on over one million federal employees. Lobbyists, federal contractors, lawyers and others who interact with the federal government are also deeply interested in federal ethics law and represent a surprisingly large market for a little-studied area of the law.

Getting the Government America Deserves analyzes government ethics law from the perspective of an academic critic and that of a lawyer who was the chief White House ethics lawyer for two and a half years. Richard Painter argues that the existing ethics regime is in need of substantial reform since federal ethics laws fail to curtail conduct that undermines the integrity of government, such as political activity by federal employees and their interaction with lobbyists and interest groups.He also contends that in some other areas, such as personal financial conflicts of interest, there is too much complexity in regulatory and reporting requirements, and rules need to be simplified.Painter's solution includes strengthening the enforcement of ethics rules, reforming the lobbying industry, and changing a system of campaign finance that impedes meaningful government ethics reform. ... Read more

Product Description
A Primer on American Labor Law is an accessible guide written for nonspecialists—labor and management representatives, students, general practice lawyers, as well as trade unionists, government officials, and academics from other countries. It covers such topics as the National Labor Relations Act, unfair labor practices, the collective bargaining relationship, dispute resolution, the public sector, and public-interest labor law. This thoroughly updated fourth edition contains extensive new material, covering developments in the eleven years since the third edition, including the continuing decline in union membership, job security rights, wrongful discharge litigation and dispute resolution procedures, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) litigation, cases involving sexual harassment and sexual orientation, the most recent collective bargaining agreements in professional sports, and the debate—spurred by globalism—on international labor standards. Much of the discussion of the National Labor Relations Act covers decisions and policy changes by the National Labor Relations Board during the author's chairmanship in 1994-1998. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A primer on American Labor Law Fourth Addition
The book review does not matter as it was required for class.I am very unhappy with the service from Amazon.It was more than a week before I received the book although I paid for express delivery.I see you did not hesitate to charge me for this.I will probably not order from you again.

An enlightening book
This book is an accessible guide to labor law history in America. The careful analysis of the groundbreaking NLRB and Supreme Court Cases guides the reader through the legal developments in labor law, while explaining the signifigance of each developement in a practical way. Anyone who is involved in a union or is interested in labor managment relations would benefit greatly from reading this book. ... Read more

Product Description
The United States federal government is the biggest customer in the world. It buys 20% of all the services and products produced in the U.S. But of the 22 million registered U.S. companies, fewer than 2% of them seek out this market. Why? Because small business owners don't know where and how to get these contracts.

Winning Government Contracts will change that. It begins at the beginning, assuming no prior knowledge of the government marketplace and its sometimes complicated terminology. Written in a clear, easy-to-understand language by experienced sales and marketing professionals, this book takes you through the registration and bidding process step-by-step. All the terms used in government contracts are explained in plain English.

Winning Government Contracts shows you where to find the sales opportunities on the Internet, then guides you through every step in your quote, whether submitted electronically or on paper--explaining the jargon and outlining the exact information that needs to be entered. You will learn how to download drawings and specifications, understand shipping and packaging requirements, and find out how much the government is currently paying for an item before you submit an offer. The book also highlights areas where beginners need to be particularly careful, such as remembering to include shipping costs when you offer the government your best price!

After the offer has been submitted, the book explains how to find the results of the bid--which company was awarded the contract and its price, as well as the names and prices of all the other bidders. Included is the government's system of inspection, acceptance, invoicing, and payments, as well as the specific requirements for service contracts such as Statements of Work, Wage Determinations, and Technical Proposals.

Whatever your business, the federal government is a marketplace you can enter. Winning Government Contracts will you show the way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

No contracts yet
This book does have a lot of useful info.I do rate it over 3 ... just under 4.You can find much of the same info on line.More examples would be useful ... perhaps expand on the limited info provided.

Get Started in Government Contractiong
This book had everything I needed to get started in Government Contracting. I was able to register and begin my publishing business almost immediately. Now I supply books for other government contractors. Peavey and Alston do a great job to help new defense contractors set up operations and compete for government contracts.
National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM)Learn how to get a facility security clearance and protect classified information with NISPOM.

Great Guide for the Small Business
I found this book to be very helpful for the small business professional who is looking for government business.

It lays out what the small business owner needs to do in order to become successful in getting the contracts up to $100,000.00.

The lay reader might get a little confused at first with some of the forms; but that is not the fault of the author. these are the government forms one needs to master to be successful at getting Government contracts.

I am a professional proposal and grant writer. I work on a contract basis writing and managing proposals and grants for my clients.

although my focus is different, this book was one of the books I read which inspired me to write my own book on obtaining government contracts and grants.

Out-Of-Date
This book has some helpful items in it but most of the links do not work.

SMBs have a chance now at government work
Many of the SMBs I work with are looking for a roadmap to successfully working with the government. At first contact with the daunting process, most of them back away, shaking their heads and believing that there is no way to break in. This book gives that way in. For SMBs, this step by step process gives the first steps for success and a general framework for landing government contracts. Nicely done! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Useful review of an important and timely subject.
An excellent book!Useful and realistic answer to the glib and self-serving recommondations of the right to lower taxes, limit government, deregulate pivotal activities like the financial world, big corporations, and let us not forget, oil drilling, and son on. I shall get copies to give away. ... Read more

Product Description

David Hume (1711-1776) is perhaps best known for his treatises on problems of epistemology, skepticism, and causation. A less familiar side of his intellectual output is his work on legal and political theory. David Hume's Political Theory brings together Hume's diverse writings on law and government, collected and examined with a view to revealing the philosopher's coherent and persuasive theory of politics.

Through close textual analysis, Neil McArthur suggests that the key to Hume's political theory lies in its distinction between barbarous and civilized government. Throughout the study, the author explores Hume's argument that a society's progress from barbarism to civilization depends on the legal and political system by which it is governed. Ultimately, McArthur demonstrates that the skepticism apparent in much of Hume's work does not necessarily tie him to a strict conservative ideology; rather, Hume's political theory is seen to emphasize many liberal virtues as well.

Based on a new conception of Hume's political philosophy, this is a groundbreaking work and a welcome addition to the existing literature.

Product Description
This book sketches the history of Roman Private Law from the Twelve Tables to modern times, and sets out the elements of the system.It does not attempt to summarize the whole law, but explains and evaluates its most characteristic and influential features. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A great introduction to Roman law
A read this book as a student, and I found it an easy guide to the world of Roman law. Though today's legal systems share a common heritage from Roman law, the latter is still an alien system for lawyers today. It is thus not an easy task to present this exotic legal system and society as easy as Nicholas does in this book.

Nicholas - Roman Law
When I was a student at Oxford I specialised in Roman law. The tutorial system was very good at providing education in detail but bad at giving the wider picture. I survived on Nicholas to keep my sanity. Other writers deal with the subject in greater depth (von Lubtow, Daube, Jolovicz, Schulz etc)but he does a unique job, so far as Iam aware, in producing acomprehensible overall map. I reccomend it highly to anyone interested inRoman law. ... Read more

Product Description
Why do attempts by authoritarian regimes to legalize their political repression differ so dramatically? Why do some dispense with the law altogether, while others scrupulously modify constitutions, pass new laws, and organize political trials?Political (In)Justice answers these questions by comparing the legal aspects of political repression in three recent military regimes: Brazil (1964-1985); Chile (1973-1990); and Argentina (1976-1983).By focusing on political trials as a reflection of each regime's overall approach to the law, Anthony Pereira argues that the practice of each regime can be explained by examining the long-term relationship between the judiciary and the military.Brazil was marked by a high degree of judicial-military integration and cooperation; Chile's military essentially usurped judicial authority; and in Argentina, the military negated the judiciary altogether. Pereira extends the judicial-military framework to other authoritarian regimes--Salazar's Portugal, Hitler's Germany, and Franco's Spain--and a democracy (the United States), to illuminate historical and contemporary aspects of state coercion and the rule of law. ... Read more

Product Description
This book reveals how State Secretaries of State often play a pivotal role in properly administering elections and promoting the values of a healthy democracy, including accuracy, access, transparency, and participation. Nearly a decade after the 2000 Presidential elections invited a firestorm of questions about the sanctity of our democratic process, there continues to be a heightened interest in the role of statewide elections officials, typically the state's Secretary of State. Much of that interest has resulted in overly critical coverage that focuses nearly exclusively on election errors while ignoring much of the noble and tireless efforts that individuals exert on a daily basis to ensure that American citizens benefit from an electoral system that ensures that our elections are democratic, inclusive, and accountable to the people. Through a series of case studies, anecdotes, and interviews with current and recent secretaries, "State Secretaries of State" expands upon this premise of the primacy of the Secretary of State.Author Jocelyn Benson provides the first in-depth study of the Secretary's role in registering voters, enforcing voting laws and regulations, overseeing elections, and certifying results. As such, it represents a much-needed contribution to the study of US elections, both in practice and in law. ... Read more

Product Description
The Fifth Edition is an entire reworking of this classic casebook. Beyond its traditional role in teaching a broad-gauge federal criminal law course, the book is highly appropriate to use for white collar crime courses; for example, fraud materials focus on business practices uncovered in the current economic meltdown. New chapters include Plea Bargaining, Cooperation Agreements and Conspiracy. All of the chapters have been substantially revamped, reflecting recent Supreme Court rulings, new case law and statutory changes. The authors are proud to announce the addition of a new co-author, Professor Susan R. Klein of the University of Texas Law School. ... Read more

Product Description
In today’s world of international investment and enterprise, an ever-expanding number of law firms, lobbying groups, management consultancies, manufacturers, and investment banks constantly engage and interact with foreign political systems. Scandals including the Enron meltdown, the CDU/CSU funding imbroglio, and party-political corruption flare-ups in the Pacific Rim have brought greater scrutiny and regulation to the arena of lobbying, campaign finance, and government relations. The United States has, therefore, been stringently enforcing its Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, exposing corporations, particularly American corporation, to heightened risk. As a result, understanding the legislation in the national jurisdiction in which one conducts business is more important than ever.

"Lobbying, Government Relations, and Campaign Finance Worldwide" is the first-ever comprehensive guide to address the laws, regulations, and practices of the thirty major industrial democracies comprising the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Each of the thirty chapters focuses on one country and is written by area experts including scholars, practitioners, and consultants. Chapter by chapter, these regional experts present the details under their respective national regimes that govern political activity by foreign businesses and investors. A short introductory chapter notes the similarities and, most importantly, the differences among national regimes. The uniformity of presentation affords the user ease of reference, depth of coverage, and practical utility.

A complete reference tool for:

International trade and transactional sections of major law firms

Lobbying groups and firms

Management consulting firms

Persons involved in lobbying, campaign finance, and government relations

Legislative liaison officers and government relations directors of multinational corporations and commercial and investment banks

In-house counsel of any corporation active outside its home jurisdiction

Non-governmental organizations with international scope ... Read more

Product Description
Federal Dispute Resolution provides a much-needed guide to using alternative dispute resolution in matters involving the federal government. This helpful resource is appropriate for anyone involved in the ADR process, including those who represent the government and those who have disputes with the government. In a highly accessible format, Federal Dispute Resolution offers valuable information about the benefits of the ADR process and outlines the laws and regulations that govern this burgeoning field. The book includes vital instructions on how to determine which disputes are best suited to ADR and how to select the type of ADR process that is most appropriate for a particular situation. It also includes step-by-step guidance on how to prepare for ADR and offers suggestions on how to advocate effectively in ADR.

Received 2004 Best Book Award from the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Alternative Dispute Resolution
Written for a very targeted audience (as you can tell by the title). This is essential reading for anyone involved in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the federal sector.

Definitive, Verbose, Useful.
The relatively new field of ADR is well-dissected by Senger in this thoughtful and thorough primer.As much a guide to the process as a compelling argument towards converting the winner / loser transactional component of the protracted and expensive legal system to the more user-friendly, inexpensive and efficient venue of ADR, this book has a pleasingly interdisciplinary nature.It not only provides many helpful hints on how to best utilize ADR in your own circumstances, it also offers useful psychological analysis which applies to many non-legal settings, as well.

If you have a beef with the government, a used car dealership or maybe even your girlfriend, this book likely contains some worthwhile suggestions on how to productively get what you want (or at least what you need) with the minimum fuss and muss.Two thumbs up. ... Read more

Product Description
Reliance on the private military industry and the privatization of public functions has left our government less able to govern effectively.When decisions that should have been taken by government officials are delegated (wholly or in part) to private contractors without appropriate oversight, the public interest is jeopardized.Books on private military have described the problem well, but they have not offered prescriptions or solutions this book does. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Succinct Indictment of Outsourcing
Dr. Verkuil, who's book is subtitled Why Privatization of Government Functions Threatens Democracy and What We Can Do About It, is very interesting perspective on this evolving field of government policy.Throughout this slim (less than 200 page) volume he presents many instances where Outsourcing has gone too far into the essential tasks which should be reserved to the Federal Executive, but have slowly crept into the hands of contractors.Beginning with the Iran-Contra scandal, Verkuil traces the evolution of the private military and other contracting expansion through Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II administrations.
The chapters concentrate on specific places where practice or law has caused an erosion in governmental control; Transportation Security, Public-Private boundaries, and Contracting legal theory are just three areas of concentration.A theme running throughout the text is the concept that "The People" possess and provide the foundations upon which governance is built.He repeated returns to the idea that the nation needs to be aware of, alert to, and take action against this threat to democracy.In doing so he makes a number of very valid points;
* The federal government has not grown in a thoughtful and guided manner.The establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, where contractors equal or exceed federal employees, is an example of contracting gone too far.
* The use of contractors makes lines of responsibility and accountability blur or disappear.Who does a prisoner tortured by a contractor sue for war crimes reparations?
* The hollowing out of the federal government, especially in senior leadership roles, has left us with a less loyal and reliable government.The ranks of the Senior Executive Services have not changed noticeably in 40 years, while our federal budget has ballooned to over 8 times its size, adjusted for inflation, during the same period.
The conclusion, Wherein the Principle Instructs Her Agents, is a thoughtful incitement for action to the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of government.While I may disagree with some of the vitriol now popularly slung around the A-76 (Competitive Sourcing) program, I largely agree with the conclusions of the author and commend this book to those involved in Multi-Sector Workforce Management.

Simon
Very informative however i think that PSC and PMC have only scratched the surface and will play a greater role in aid, environment, and commodities It is upto NGO's to move with the times and adapt to the new challenges that face deomcracy and the spread of international values and to accept security is a fixed part of there structure going forward

fascinating
I was required to buy this book for a class- and wow, was it worth it! A great read for anyone interested in our current political state.

Excellent demolition of the case for privatisation
In this fascinating book, Paul Verkuil, Professor of Law at Cardozo Law School, Yeshiva University, examines the USA's shift from public government to private governance. Outsourcing rose by 86% between 2000 and 2005 and the value of non-competitive contracts rose by 115%, mainly due to the war on Iraq.

He examines the public/private distinction, constitutional governance, the limits of delegation, contract theory, and structural reforms. He uses constitutional, statutory, administrative and contractual sources and work in delegation theory and transactions cost analysis.

Under the US Constitution, the people is the sovereign power, delegating its powers to the three branches of the state, executive, legislature and judiciary, which are supposed to be agents of the people. But delegating sovereign powers to private hands undermines the state's capacity to govern. Outsourcing political decisions threatens the democratic principle of accountability.

Verkuil looks at the private military, private disaster relief, private border control, private prisons and private police. He argues that the planning and execution of responses to disasters are core government duties. He notes that after 9/11, Congress voted to `deprivatise' airport security, over Bush's opposition. Private security firms had treated security as a cost-control item, forcing down the quality of services. He notes, "In Europe, the preference for public sector solutions has been trumped by a higher principle congenial both to community integration and the world of privatization." Why higher?

Privatisation does not improve performance: research shows that professional civil servants manage better than political appointees, but then better performance is only the politicians' claim, not privatisation's real aim. Its real aim is to maximise profit - which Verkuil manages not to see, writing, "Outsourcing in the face of both accountability and efficiency objections is inexplicable."

He concludes that the use of contractors to displace functions normally performed by government officials is a danger to democracy, and so should be curtailed. We need to secure and preserve public values and oppose the current unprecedented delegation of powers to private firms.
... Read more

Product Description
In an attempt to reduce barriers to international trade, publicprocurement agreements have evolved during the past three decades atboth global and regional levels. These agreements give rise to anumber of complex, topical issues. Yet apart from studies on EuropeanUnion procurement rules, there are few books on public procurement,particularly covering regional procurement agreements. This important new study fills this informational void by providing adetailed assessment of these agreements, focusing on the problem ofprotectionism in government procurement, long recognized as a majorbarrier to international trade. Its coverage includes:+a thorough analysis of all of the important internationalprocurement agreements -- EFTA, the EC's first and secondattempts, the GATT Code of the Tokyo Round, the Israel--US andCanada--US Free Trade Agreements, NAFTA, and the Uruguay RoundWTO Procurement Code -- with special attention to the bidchallenge mechanisms of the various regimes,+a discussion andevaluation of judicial decisions of the various tribunals,+anexamination of the reasons why many of these agreements have achievedonly limited success,+proposed solutions to the variousproblems encountered,+an analysis of approaches taken in theregulation of public procurement, comparing their relative advantagesand disadvantages,+an economic analysis of domestic preferencepolicies in government procurement,+a discussion of therelationship between various institutional frameworks and theiroptimal regulatory solution,+the author's general conclusionsand recommendations for the future, focusing on the problem of theagreement on government procurement and the initiatives currentlypursued in this respect, and,+suggestions for ways to overcomecurrent problems in order to both widen and deepen the application ofinternational procurement standards.Procurement lawyers, experts and officials; international economic lawprofessors; public international lawyers; and internationalorganisations will all appreciate this valuable guide to understandinginternational procurement agreements, including the new tenderingrules they impose. Its comprehensive coverage of all types ofinternational public procurement regimes -- multilateral,regional and bilateral -- makes International PublicProcurement Law an unmatched resource. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an essential text for anyone working in the financial markets in Hong Kong. The book, written by a team of market professionals and academics associated with the Asian Institute of International Financial Law of the University of Hong Kong, provides a comprehensive review of the regulation of Hong Kong's financial markets ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

late shipment
I paid almost $18 for one day shipping and did not receive the product until about a week later. This was a very big inconvenience for me. ... Read more

Product Description

A guidebook through the minefield of government contracting and procurement, Government Contracting: Promises and Perils describes the dangerous practices commonly applied in the development and management of government contracts and provides advice for avoiding the sort of errors that might compromise their ability to protect the public interest. It includes strategies for increasing profits for government contractors, rather than incurring burdensome costs, through compliance with government mandated subcontracting and financial management systems.

Drawing from his indepth investigation of government agencies across the country, the author examines present-day scenarios that regularly lead public servants and government committees to manage contracts with tools that are less than optimal and to select contractors that may not be the best qualified. He then delineates practical processes, contracting documents, and contract management tools to mitigate detrimental outcomes and alternative approaches to supplant the imperfect methodologies.

The author includes a CD-ROM with the book that provides a number of practical tools that you can apply as well as examples of contracts and templates that are the best he discovered during his research. The book also outlines an approach for performing advance contract planning, conducting contract negotiations, and administering contracts useful when planning for the management of the contracting process throughout the contracting cycle, negotiating a contract that protects the interest of all contracting parties, and ensuring successful contractor performance.

The book includes a "Government Procurement Corruption Wall of Shame" that illustrates the myriad perils and stumbling blocks such as conflicts of interest, duplicity, favoritism, incompetence, kickbacks, and protests that government workers fall prey to.. Filled with best practices that protect you from nefarious, amateurish, and criminal mistakes that frequently lead to difficulties with harsh consequences, the book does not end its coverage with discussions of corruption, mismanagement, and ineptitude, but provides practical processes and strategies to diminish the negative impacts from these government contracting perils.

Customer Reviews (2)

Helpful tools and guidance!
Mr. Curry opened my eyes to many areas that I never considered at risk.I tend to scan books and only dig in when there's something new.Best value solicitations and the various methods for grading a proposal were explained like I have never seen before, and really expanded my toolbox.Speaking of tools, he includes a CD that has many useful templates.

A must-read for public sector contract managers
This is Bill Curry's second book on public sector contract management.And, unlike the first, which was more of a how-to for managers in state and local government, this book focuses on the federal level and on ethical issues in contracting. Nevertheless, it should be of interest to managers at all levels of government.

The book is filled with examples of the ethical perils in contracting -- from the Duke Cunningham case to the Darleen Druyun (Boeing) scandal.But, as the title states, the book also discusses the promises that ethical contracting holds in terms of improved credibility and results for public sector agencies and contractors alike.

Each phase of the contracting process is examined in depth -- pre-solicitation, solicitation, proposal evaluation, and contract award, administration, and closeout. The book takes an interesting side-tour into contracting to meet social objectives.Here, Curry comes down solidly on the side of equal-opportunity contracting, but against affirmative-action contracting.Curry draws a clear distinction between the two.

Finally, like the first book, this second volume includes a model RFP and contract, which include provisions incorporating best practices in all of the contracting areas covered. In this case, the model documents are included in a CD attached to the inside back cover. I highly recommend this book as a must-have and fitting sequel to Bill Curry's first book. ... Read more