1. For a comparison between English law and the position in certain civil law jurisdictions see eg Luigi Russi,Cooperation Before Contract: The Law and Policy of Expenses Incurred During Negotiations in Comparative Perspective(Vandeplas, Lake Mary 2009); John Cartwright and Martijn Hesselink (eds),Precontractual Liability in European Private Law(CUP, Cambridge 2008); Joachim Dietrich, ‘Classifying Precontractual Liablity: A Comparative Analysis’ (2001) 21 Legal Studies 153.
2. See eg Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, ‘The Stuffing of Minerva's Owl: Taxonomy and Taxidermy in Equity' [2009] Cambridge LJ 537, 544 casting possible doubt on the result inCrabb v Arun District Council[1976] 1 Ch 179 (CA) (’Crabb’).
3. Of course, a non-promissory liability may arise if, for example, A makes a fraudulent misrepresentation to B: see egMarkov v ABC Transfer and Storage Co76 Wash 2d 388 (1969) (Supreme Court of Washington) (’Markov’).
4. [2001] EWCA Civ 274 (’Baird Textiles’).
5. Baird Textiles (n 4) [30]. The contention made here is that the promise was too uncertain to give rise to any form of promissory liability.