Corporate finance theory seeks to understand how incorporated firms address the financial constraints that affect their investment decisions by using varied financial instruments that give holders different claims on the firm's assets.The legal environment is crucially important in explaining the choices that companies make about their capital structure. This book examines the key elements of the legal environment relating to corporate finance in the UK. This evolving environment has just undergone a remarkable period of far-reaching change. This was driven in part by the desire of the UK government to modernise its domestic company law, and in part by policy choices at the EU level. Eilis Ferran provides a detailed analysis of the technical issues arising from the new UK and European law on corporate finance, and combines this with exploration of the broader policy framework and with cutting edge research.

1. THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 2. USE AND ABUSE OF THE CORPORATE FORM 3. CAPITAL STRUCTURE 4. FORMATION OF SHARE CAPITAL 5. SHARE ALLOTMENTS 6. RIGHTS ATTACHING TO SHARES 7. MAINTENANCE OF CAPITAL 8. DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS 9. SHARE-BUYBACKS AND REDEEMABLE SHARES 10. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 11. UNSECURED DEBT 12. SECURED DEBT 13. PUBLIC OFFERS OF SECURITIES 14. INTERNATIONAL EQUITY OFFERINGS 15. BONDS

Eilis Ferran , Professor of Company and Securities Law, University of Cambridge and Fellow of St. Catharine's College Cambridge