Article by Professor J.A. Jolowicz (Trinity College, Cambridge) describing disparate work on the reform of civil procedure. Article based on the Third Annual Society for Advanced Legal Studies Lecture, given by Professor J.A. Jolowicz on 8 June 2000. Published in Amicus Curiae - Journal of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and its Society for Advanced Legal Studies. The Journal is produced by the Society for Advanced Legal Studies at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London.