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Philip Wood

CBE, KC (Hon)

Philip Wood CBE, KC (Hon) is a lawyer, author and scholar whose work has shaped the understanding of international finance and world law across generations. His writing brings clarity and depth to some of the most complex legal questions of our time.

Black and white photo of a Philip Wood wearing glasses and a white shirt, holding a pipe near his mouth while looking to the side.
A marathon runner wearing a green shirt and white cap raises his arms in celebration while running on a city street with spectators and Brandenburg Gate in the background.
Man in a gray blazer standing outside next to two tall stacks of bundled paper against a brick wall.
Elderly man in a suit with a blue tie sitting at a wooden table with eyeglasses on it, in front of a mural depicting various human and animal figures.
Me at the National Gallery in London. Pic credit Patrick Dransfield
Philip Wood wearing glasses and a white striped shirt sitting at a dark wooden table with a stack of blue and red binders.
Elderly man wearing glasses, a white cap, and a white shirt playing an outdoor piano.
Black and white portrait of a smiling young boy with short blonde hair wearing a white shirt and dark tie.
Philip Wood wearing large tortoiseshell glasses and a dark suit with white shirt against a blue background.

Lawyer

I was for 50 years at the magic circle City of London international law firm Allen & Overy (now A&O Shearman) from 1967 to 2018, most of it as a partner and for about ten years head of the banking department, specialising in international finance.

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Author

I have published more than 25 books on the law, mainly on the law and practice of international finance and principally concerned with comparative law.

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Antique wooden desk with stacks of legal books and two lamps in front of large leaded glass windows with visible greenery outside.
A collection of my published books on my desk
Group of diverse adults gathered outdoors on grass, smiling for a group photo in front of a building.
Students at Bangalore University on my course

Universities

I taught full postgraduate courses at Oxford and Cambridge universities and lectured at more than 80 universities around the world.

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Awards

I was honoured twice for services to the law by the late Queen Elizabeth II – an honorary QC  in 2009  and a CBE in 2015  - and granted a coat of arms.

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Philip Wood and HRH Prince William facing each other and smiling in a formal setting, one wearing glasses and a suit, the other in a military uniform.
Receiving a CBE from Prince William at Buckingham Palace 2015.
Book titled 'Survival Codes: World Law and the Future of Humanity' by Philip Wood with a flame and Earth image integrated into the title text.

Survival Codes

World Law and the Future of Humanity

My latest book is entitled “Survival Codes: World Law and the Future of Humanity,” published in 2025. I believe that this is my most important book by far.

Survival Codes explains that the world's laws are the largest and most comprehensive codes of conduct for survival that humanity has - and what is at stake as that system comes under strain. Written for readers in every discipline, it offers a rare, accessible overview of global law and asks whether our legal structures are strong enough to prevent catastrophe.

The book is obtainable from Amazon and all good bookshops, priced at £35.

Available from Blackwells, Amazon, Browns, Foyles, Hatchards, Hive, TG Jones, Waterstones, leading law bookshop Wildys, and others.  ISBN 9781919318837

Contact

Email

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info@philipwoodcbe.com

Publishing

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fortitudoetluxpublishing.cominfo@fortitudoetluxpublishing.com

No orders for books are accepted at the above addresses.