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Equity and Trusts is one of the compulsory pillars of the English qualifying law degree, and the reading list changes less often than students expect — the same handful of authors have dominated it for decades, just in newer editions. What matters more than which single book you buy is picking one narrative text you can read cover to cover, plus a casebook or revision aid to sit alongside it. All nine of the following are current editions actually assigned on UK law courses today, not older printings still floating around secondhand.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hudson – Equity and Trusts (11th ed., Routledge, 2024) | $65-$190 (paperback to hardback) | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Pettit – Equity and the Law of Trusts (12th ed., OUP) | $56-$90 | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | Virgo – The Principles of Equity & Trusts (5th ed., 2024, OUP) | $60-$215 (paperback to hardback) | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | Davies & Virgo – Equity & Trusts: Text, Cases, and Materials (OUP) | $55-$85 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | Penner – The Law of Trusts (Core Texts Series, OUP) | $45-$70 | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | Glister & Lee – Hanbury & Martin: Modern Equity (23rd ed., Sweet & Maxwell) | $85-$130 | Amazon |
| 7 | Watt – Trusts & Equity (9th ed., OUP) | $50-$75 | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | Ramjohn & Bray – Unlocking Equity and Trusts (8th ed., 2024, Routledge) | $40-$65 | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Barr & Picton – Pearce & Stevens’ Trusts and Equitable Obligations (8th ed., OUP) | $60-$100 | Amazon |
The picks, in detail
Hudson – Equity and Trusts (11th ed., Routledge, 2024)
The long-standing scholarly-practitioner staple, now in its 11th edition from Routledge with expanded coverage of trusts and equitable remedies.
- 11th edition (Routledge, 2024)
- Combines black-letter law with academic commentary
- Covers express, resulting and constructive trusts plus equitable remedies
- Core reading on many LLB and GDL courses
- Most comprehensive single-author text in the field
- Strong on the underlying theory examiners like to see referenced
- Frequently updated with new case law
- Denser prose than the shorter core texts
- Pricier in hardback than the paperback core-text alternatives
Pettit – Equity and the Law of Trusts (12th ed., OUP)
Praised for clarity and critical analysis, this 12th edition remains one of the most readable full-length treatments of the subject.
- 12th edition, Oxford University Press
- Clear explanatory style aimed at undergraduates
- Wide-ranging critical analysis of case law
- Easier entry point than Hudson without losing depth
- Well-regarded exam-answer style explanations
- Slightly less exhaustive on very recent case developments than annually-updated texts
Virgo – The Principles of Equity & Trusts (5th ed., 2024, OUP)
Graham Virgo’s Cambridge-honed, contextual account is one of the most widely set primary texts on current UK LLB reading lists.
- 5th edition, published July 2024
- States the law plainly before building into debate
- Written by a leading Cambridge trusts scholar
- Engaging, less dry than some rivals
- Strong structure for exam revision
- Hardback list price is steep; look for the paperback
Davies & Virgo – Equity & Trusts: Text, Cases, and Materials (OUP)
A casebook pairing primary source extracts with commentary — the natural companion to a narrative text like Virgo’s or Pettit’s for essay and problem-question work.
- Extensive primary-source case extracts
- Editorial commentary linking cases to doctrine
- Companion volume to Virgo’s Principles
- Saves hunting down full law reports for key cases
- Good for direct-quotation exam technique
- Not a substitute for a narrative textbook — best used alongside one
Penner – The Law of Trusts (Core Texts Series, OUP)
A concise, tightly argued core text that many students read first before tackling the longer treatments.
- Oxford Core Texts Series
- Shorter format focused on the essentials
- Strong analytical voice from a respected trusts scholar
- Faster read than the 900-page treatises
- Good for building a first-pass understanding before exam season
- Less case-law depth than Hudson or Pettit for dissertation-level work
Glister & Lee – Hanbury & Martin: Modern Equity (23rd ed., Sweet & Maxwell)
The practitioner-grade reference generations of students have used as a rigorous cross-check against the more student-friendly texts.
- 23rd edition, Sweet & Maxwell
- Rigorous analysis of current case law and academic debate
- Reference to other common law jurisdictions
- The text examiners and practitioners alike still cite
- Extremely thorough for dissertation and mooting work
- Heavier and more expensive than the core texts; overkill for a first read
Watt – Trusts & Equity (9th ed., OUP)
Praised for stating the law in plain terms before building into areas of debate — a good option for students who find the subject’s abstraction hard going.
- 9th edition, Oxford University Press
- Plain-terms explanations before critical discussion
- Companion online resources (video lectures, problem scenarios)
- Most approachable prose style of the major texts
- Good online support material
- Less exhaustive than Hudson or Hanbury & Martin for advanced work
Ramjohn & Bray – Unlocking Equity and Trusts (8th ed., 2024, Routledge)
Part of the revision-friendly “Unlocking the Law” series, with diagrams and self-test questions built into the structure.
- 8th edition, Routledge, 2024
- Diagrams and flowcharts throughout
- Self-test questions and sample essay plans
- Cheapest of the current-edition options here
- Good supplementary revision aid alongside a narrative text
- Not detailed enough to stand alone as your only textbook
Barr & Picton – Pearce & Stevens’ Trusts and Equitable Obligations (8th ed., OUP)
The most exhaustive option on this list at nearly 1,000 pages — built for dissertation-level detail rather than a quick read before a seminar.
- 8th edition, Oxford University Press
- 984 pages of practitioner-depth coverage
- Long-running title now edited by Warren Barr and John Picton
- The text to reach for when a footnote needs real depth
- Comprehensive case-law citation
- Its length makes it a poor choice as a first, stand-alone read
Buying tips
- Buy the edition your reading list actually cites — case law moves fast enough in this area that a two-editions-old copy can miss a leading case.
- A narrative textbook plus a casebook (Text, Cases and Materials) covers most course requirements better than two narrative texts.
- Secondhand copies of the previous edition are fine for background reading, but cite the current edition in coursework.
- Library short-loan copies are usually the current edition — worth checking before buying if budget is tight.
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