"Once upon a time, things were easy for family lawyers. Their object of study was clearly marked out (marriage, divorce, and their consequences), while theoretical debate about the subject was rare or non-existent Although it is difficult to locate this Garden of Eden in real time, most family lawyers would share the perception that things have become more complex of late [And] allied to this, there has been an explosion of theoretical interest in law and the family."

Two decades after this assessment by John Dewar, The Family in Law offers a significant and sophisticated appraisal of the law's engagement "in the construction of ideas about the family and familial relationships".