Book excerpt: The fourth edition of the leading company law textbook, provides the most authoritative and comprehensive commentary on Irish company law following the commencement of the Companies Act 2014. The Companies Act 2014 makes the most far-reaching and fundamental changes to Irish company law in two generations, putting forward a radically different approach whereby the private company limited by shares will become the new model company. The structure of the fourth edition of this highly regarded title mirrors this new Act. The Act comprises over 1,448 Parts and represents the modern statement of the law applicable to the formation of companies, administration and management to their winding up and dissolution, incorporating the rights and duties of their officers, members and creditors. The Act commences on 1 June 2015 and introduces significant changes for companies operating in Ireland. This work has been expanded and revised to account for these legislative changes and important case law. As chairperson of the Company Law Review Group, whose recommendations greatly informed the new Act and as a leading practitioner of company law, Tom Courtney has a unique insight to the new legislation, its purpose and interpretation.The fourth edition is virtually a complete re-write and at approximately 2,900 pages it is some 400 pages longer than the last edition. Fully updated to take account of the dozens of judgments from the Irish and UK courts that have been delivered since the previous edition as well as the new statutory provisions, the fourth edition of The Law of Companies is a 'must have' for all practitioners, students and users of Irish company law.