Reece-Davies, Patrisha

Dr. Patrisha Reece-Davies teaches Law and is Head of Social Sciences Faculty with Moorhouse-Black, a company providing distance learning through video conference direct to classrooms in public and private sector schools through the UK, Europe and the Middle East. She studied law at De Montfort University. Ten years in the music industry triggered her interest in Contract Law, the subject and basis of research for this book.

UNCONSCIONABLE CONTRACTS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY:
The Need for New Legal Relationships

2006 0-7734-5846-8
This work is an economics and behavioral-based study of contract law and its effectiveness toward those engaged in long term, contractual relationships in the music industry. This high-profile industry demonstrates a need for certain developments in modern, legal relationship governance. The author perceives this as a need for English contract law to develop a stand alone doctrine of unconscionably constructed contracts.

Research shows that problems may lie in the way in which hybrid versions of legal principles, such as restraint of trade, have been formulated over time. Additionally the way these legal principles are communicated to relevant individuals and business communities leaves them open to ignorance or misinterpretation. Furthermore, social and economic characteristics which shape and drive the behavior of parties to long-term contracts do not seem to be sufficiently well understood, studied or taken into account in the arena of the courts.

Utilizing the wider scope of social sciences in examining legally bounded interaction has enriched the discussion about the opportunities that may exist (a) to understand the real human issues which give rise to cases in law and (b) to provide clearer judicial governance over the future formation and conduct of long-term contractual relationships.