Law books after a death

A working law library is one of the odder things to inherit. It's usually substantial, often valuable, and almost never something the family has any use for. This page is here to make that part straightforward.

There is no rush

Books keep. Nothing about a law library degrades in a few months, and there is no deadline by which this has to be dealt with. If the house is being sold or cleared to a timetable that's different, but otherwise please don't let this be a thing on the list. An enquiry doesn't commit you to anything, and we're equally happy to hear from you a year from now.

You don't need to know what any of it is

People often apologise for not being able to describe the books. There's no need — that's our job. A photograph of the shelves, taken on a phone, is usually enough for us to identify the major sets and give you a realistic idea of what's there. You don't need to open anything, check editions, or make a list.

What tends to be worth something

Being straightforward about this, because expectations vary a lot in both directions:

• Often worth a reasonable amount: complete or near-complete sets of Halsbury's Laws of England, long runs of the All England Law Reports or the Law Reports, and recent editions of the major practitioner texts.
• Usually worth less than families expect: individual textbooks, superseded single volumes, and anything more than a decade or two out of date with gaps in the run. Age alone doesn't create value in law books — a complete 1990s set is generally worth more than an incomplete Victorian one.
• Occasionally worth considerably more: genuinely antiquarian legal material, association copies, or anything signed or presented. If we think something falls outside our own area, we'll say so and point you elsewhere rather than buy it cheaply.

Valuations for the estate

If the estate needs a figure for the books, we can put in writing what we would pay for them, which executors commonly use as evidence of market value for estate paperwork. If a formal valuation by a qualified probate valuer is required, your solicitor will be able to advise on that — we're not a substitute for it.

The practical side

You won't need to move, box, or transport anything. Law libraries are heavy — a full Halsbury's set alone can run past eighty volumes — and lifting them is part of what we do. We come to the house, chambers, or storage unit, collect everything agreed, and pay by cash on collection, cheque, or bank transfer — whichever the estate needs — arranged in as little as 30 minutes during working hours.

If part of the collection has no resale value, we'll say so plainly, and we'll still take it away and recycle it responsibly at no cost, so you're not left with a clearance problem.