Are you a law academic, or a practicing lawyer who has written a book and want to get it published?
Continue reading to learn about 19 top publishers of law books.
1. Edgar Elgar Publishing
Edgar Elgar, the founder and current chairman, established this publishing house from the study of the family home in Middleton. Now headquartered in the regency town of Cheltenham, UK, it has published a prestigious list of more than 5,000 titles.
Edward Elgar Publishing is now recognized as a leading international and professional publisher which churns out 350 titles with a focus on the social sciences and law books.
The firm has won numerous awards including the Independent Publisher of the Year (2017), and Digital Publisher of the Year (2015). Some of the law books published include European Fashion Law by Rosie Burbidge and Xavier Oberson’s International Exchange of Information in Tax Matters.
Edward Elgar is commissioning new titles and is always happy to consider or advice on ideas. Check out their book proposal requirements here.
2. Carolina Academic Press
Keith Sip founded Carolina Academic Press back in 1974 after living in Pakistan for a while. It has now published a range of successful titles in areas such as history, sociology, criminal justice, education, and law.
However, the North Carolina-based Press is primarily a law publisher with more than thirty years’ experience. It is perhaps best known for publishing Plain English for Lawyers by Richard C. Wydick, now in its 5th edition and widely touted as “probably the most popular legal text today” by the New York Times.
CAP is currently welcoming book proposals for titles in law or other academic areas. Check out the submission instructions here.
3. Hart Publishing
Richard Hart and Jane Parker founded Hart Publishing back in 1996 with a mission to publish the highest quality works of legal scholarship. Although now a part of Bloomsbury Publishing, the Oxford-based publishing house has always aimed to produce intellectually stimulating and innovative books.
Hart’s books have a global distribution, with over 1000 titles already in print, including Personal Insolvency in the 21st Century by Iain Ramsay and Corporate Finance Law by Louise Gullifer and Jennifer Payne, now in its third edition.
Hart is keen to discuss new ideas with prospective authors and to read and review manuscripts and book proposals. Find out more here.
4. Lawyers & Judges Publishing
Since its establishment in 1963, Lawyers & Judges Publishing has devoted itself to creating top quality resources for many forensic fields. Based in Tucson, Arizona, the publishing firm has provided a range of paper products such as books, reference works, folios, and digital offerings such as e-books.
Lawyers & Judges Publishing provides resources in a wide range of media which vary from conventional sources to others such as e-books, CD-ROMS, and software packages among others. These include law books such as the four editions of Aircraft Accident Reconstruction & Litigation by Barnes W. McCormick, Myron P. Papadakis.
The firm is open to ideas and has its own submission checklist which you can review here.
5. Emond Publishing
Based in Toronto, Canada, Emond Publishing was established back in 1978 by Professor Paul Emond and Ann Montgomery. Emond has since grown to become one of Canada’s leading independent legal publishers.
The firm has received several awards including the Hugh Lawford Award for Excellence in Legal Publishing in 2018. Emond now publishes resources for legal professionals and college and university students. Notable titles include Administrative Law in Practice: Principles and Advocacy by Lorne Sossin and Emily Lawrence.
Emond is currently welcoming proposals for manuscript ideas in the areas of law and justice. The submission page has detailed proposal guideline which you can review here.
6. Wildy Simmonds & Hill Publishing
Technically, this publishing company has been in existence since the 1830s, back when publishers, printers, and book sellers were all rolled into one company. It was initially known as Wildy & Sons but it was only until 2002 that Brian Hill joined the company, bringing with him the publishing arm, Simmonds & Hill.
Today, Wildy Simmonds & Hill is still based in London and it publishes a range of books for lawyers, from probate and the administration of estates to international and comparative law.
Wildy Simmonds & Hill is always looking to expand its publishing list and is open to prospective authors who would like to discuss any publishing ideas. You can find out more here.
7. Irwin Law Inc.
Based in Toronto, Canada, Irwin Law prides itself as one of the Canada’s youngest law publishers. Right from the beginning, and led by Jeffrey Miller, the firm has sought to publish books that do more than just outline the current state of the law.
Some of the books published by the firm have garnered awards and praise from distinguished quarters. They include Alternative Dispute Resolution Skills, Science, and the Law by Andrew Pirie and The Art of the Interview: How Lawyers Talk with Clients by John Hollander.
Irwin Law subjects all manuscript submissions to peer reviews to ensure their books “challenge established tradition, and create intellectual excitement.”
Check out the submission guidelines here.
8. Federation Press
Kathryn Fitzhenry, Christopher Holt and Diane Young founded Federation Press in 1987. It is headquartered in Alexandria, New South Wales, Australia and has since published over 400 legal, social, and academic books.
Federation Press boasts its well-merited reputation for speedy and efficient publication, and that its books are published in the shortest time possible after delivery and acceptance of manuscripts.
The firm has great distribution due to its solid distribution arrangements and has published notable titles such as Michael Head’s Administrative Law, now in its 4th edition and the three volumes of The Historical Foundations of Australian Law by J A Watson, Ruth C A Higgins and Elisabeth Peden.
Federation Press welcomes book proposals in the fields of law and related disciplines. Check out their submission page here.
9. Zed Books
Zed Books was established in 1976 by Roger van Zwanenberg and is currently the largest English-language publishing collective in the world. It publishes a wide range of books, from general interest titles to specialized scholarly researched titles.
Based in London, UK, the firm is also famous for having a unique ownership model, and which is perhaps the only one of its kind in the publishing space. It is non-hierarchical and is owned and managed by its workers.
Zed Books has published notable authors such as Eleanor Roosevelt (Autobiography) and law books such as Law and Poverty: The Legal System and Poverty Reduction by Lucy Williams, Asbjørn Kjønstad, and Peter Robson.
Zed is currently welcoming submissions for manuscripts. You can get more information here.
10. McFarland & Company Inc. Publishers
Right from its early days, McFarland has been a library-oriented publisher and has produced a number of scholarly books and references in a wide range of subjects. Founded in 1979 by Robert McFarland, the North Carolina-based firm has grown to become one of the leading firms of academic nonfiction in the US.
McFarland has published over 6000 titles, including The Creation of American Law by Jude M. Pfister, and also The Law of the Sea: A Historical Analysis of the 1982 Treaty and Its Rejection by the United States by James B. Morell.
McFarland is inviting manuscripts from both agents and authors. You can get more details here.
11. Stanford University Press
The idea of Stanford University itself was conceived around 1891 by Leland and Jane Stanford. Publishing began later on when David Starr Jordan joined the organization and started the publication of any important research by the professors.
Today the publishing arm has expanded its reach to include titles in economics, business, sociology, law, and security studies among others. The firm is now based in Redwood City, in North California’s bay area.
Stanford University Press has published bestselling titles such as Donald M. Frame’s translation of The Complete Essays of Montaigne and the 12 volumes translations of The Zohar by Professor Daniel Matt.
The firm is accepting inquiries about publishing, which should be made directly to the appropriate editor. See further instructions here.
12. Intersentia Ltd
Intersentia is an independent publisher based in Cambridge, UK. It was founded in 2010 and while it also publishes a range of academic titles, it is first and foremost devoted to legal publishing. Its list of titles cover the core of public and private law.
Intersentia also has a small list of books in other fields of business, accounting, commerce. It boasts a speedy publishing process, and which does not compromise quality. Intersentia has published titles such as Comparative Concepts of Criminal Law by Johannes Keiler and David Roef, and Human Rights Tectonics by Emmanuelle Bribosia and co-written by Isabelle Rorive.
Prospective authors can contact the editors via their submissions page here.
13. Brill Publishing
Brill is a publishing house that was founded in Leiden, Netherlands but has now grown with major offices all over the world including Boston, USA. It has a rich history, dating back from 1683, with an international focus. Brill now publishes around 1,400 books and references each year.
Brill’s main subject areas range from, but are not limited to, African studies, art history, education, languages, international law, philosophy, and religious studies among others. Brill published Thomas Gangale’s How High the Sky? (Studies in Space law series) in 2018.
To discuss potential publishing, Brill requires prospective authors to first go through the complete author guide which you can download here.
14. Sweet & Maxwell
Sweet & Maxwell is headquartered in London, UK and is now a part of Thomson Reuters. It has quite a rich history, spanning more than two centuries in legal publishing. Sweet & Maxwell has provided specialist knowledge, interpretation, and commentary in a wide range of subjects.
The firm took over the publishing of Archbold Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice, originally written by John Frederick Archbold, and which is arguably one of the most quoted texts by leading practitioners in England, Wales and other parts of the world.
Sweet & Maxwell has its own ‘house style’ which it requires all its authors to adhere to, including prospective ones. You can download a copy here.
15. Captus Press Inc
Captus Press was established in the early 1980s, initially to produce high quality textbooks for colleges and universities. Based in Ontario, Canada, Captus has since published over 150 titles in a range of subject areas such as finance, accounting, business, law, and aboriginal and social issues.
Captus selects publications that are “a fit” with their “innovative publishing mission,” and which also includes selected non-fiction books for the general reader. Captus has published the two editions of Small Claims Court Practice and Procedure in Ontario by Laurence Olivo & DeeAnn Gonsalves, considered to be one of the best resources for small claims court practitioners and students.
Captus is considering innovative proposals to add to its publishing program. You can find more details here.
16. The New Press
Based in New York, The New Press was founded in 1992 and has since been widely hailed as one of the leading trade publishers. New Press’s books have received numerous awards and the press itself has been featured in prominent publications like The Guardian, New York Times, Toronto Globe, and Le Monde.
New Press has focused on publishing titles in a number of key program areas such as race relations, immigration, human rights, popular economics, and law and legal studies. One of its bestselling books is The Chomsky-Foucault Debate On Human Nature by Noam Chomsky and Michel Foucault.
Despite its non-profit mission, New Press still operates as a commercial trade publisher. It identifies new authors and even pays standard royalty and advance rates. You can get more information on its submission page here.
17. Carswell Publishing
Although now a part of Thompson Reuters, Carswell has been an important source of information for tax and accounting, human resource, and legal professionals in Canada since 1864. Now based in Toronto Canada, it has provided products and services to practitioners across Canada and beyond.
Carswell is a specialized legal publisher, with products in a range of formats including loose-leaf, journals, newsletters, CD-ROMs, and books.
Carswell was acquired by Thompson Reuters and some its authors are among Canada’s most prominent legal professionals. They include Elliot A. Smith (The Canadian Construction Contracts Guidebook) and Audrey Loeb (5 editions of The Condominium Act: A User’s Manual).
Carswell is welcoming new ideas for publications. Find out more here.
18. Routledge Australia
Routledge is a member of the Taylor & Francis Group and is now one of the world’s top academic publishers. It was founded in London UK, but has expanded to include offices in North America, Australia, and other parts of the world.
The firm now publishes thousands of books every year in a wide range of subjects that include finance, law, criminology and criminal studies, literature, development studies, and history among others. It has published all 11 editions of Modern Land Law by Martin Dixon and 5 editions of Unlocking EU Law by Tony Storey and Alexandra Pimor.
Routledge has provided detailed author publishing guidelines which you can review here.
19. SAGE Publishing – Australia
SAGE Publishing was founded in 1965 by Sara Miller McCune with a mission to disseminate usable knowledge and to help educate a global community. It now has major offices in Los Angeles, London, Singapore, New Delhi, and Melbourne Australia.
With 1000 journals and 600 books published every year, SAGE is now a leading publisher of quality content and books in a range of subjects that include history, politics and International Law, public affairs, law, health, engineering and physical sciences among others. They include all 4 editions of Mathew Lippman’s Criminal Procedure and textbooks such as Curt R. Bartol and Anne M. Bartol’s Psychology and Law.
SAGE prides itself as a natural home for authors and as a leading international publisher of journals, books, and other media. It has prepared a booklet that outlines its book proposal guidelines as well as manuscript submission guidelines.
You can download the booklet here.
Are there any other publishers of law books that should be in this list? Please tell us about them in the comments box below!
John Nasaye is a Developmental Editor and Content Developer. He spends most of his waking hours helping authors develop and polish their manuscripts. You can catch him on his Social Media Pages: Twitter: @nasaye, Facebook: John Nasaye or send him an email: nasaye at gmail dot com.