Books by William R. Lizárraga

This book analyzes the thirty-five and a half government plans presented by the political organizations that participated in Peru's 2026 presidential election, examining them from formal, technical, and substantive perspectives to assess the State's capacity to understand, organize, and project itself over time.

Without evaluating their feasibility or ideological orientation, the work identifies shortcomings and diagnoses shared by parties across the political spectrum and preliminarily introduces the category of the Adaptive Weak State (AWS): a State that has not failed, yet whose institutional fragility leads it to adapt to its own dysfunctions and coexist with informality, inefficiency, corruption, and social fragmentation. Written from an independent academic perspective, the book invites readers to reconsider the structure of the Peruvian State and envision a more integrated, dignified, and self-aware civilizational project.

Lima: Fondo Editorial Lizárraga Law Firm, PLLC, 2026.

This book offers a detailed comparison between "culpa in contrahendo" and "promissory estoppel."

It examines the "culpa in contrahendo," a concept developed within Civil Law systems — especially in Germany, Italy, France, and Spain — together with "promissory estoppel," a figure from Common Law, paying particular attention to its operation in the U.S. legal system.

A key difference lies in the third type of "culpa in contrahendo," which requires proof of "bad faith" to claim damages — a condition absent in "promissory estoppel," which thus becomes a more effective and fairer instrument before the courts.

The second aspect of "culpa in contrahendo," related to consumer protection and the duty to inform buyers before concluding a contract, is comparable to "misrepresentation" in Common Law.

This topic was the subject of William R. Lizárraga Ugarte's doctoral research at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where he analyzed 1,000 Common Law cases and 500 Civil Law cases from Spain, Italy, Germany, and France.

Lima: Lizarraga Law Firm Editorial Fund, 2024.

This book offers a detailed comparison between "culpa in contrahendo" and "promissory estoppel."

It examines the "culpa in contrahendo," a concept developed within Civil Law systems — especially in Germany, Italy, France, and Spain — together with "promissory estoppel," a figure from Common Law, paying particular attention to its operation in the U.S. legal system.

A key difference lies in the third type of "culpa in contrahendo," which requires proof of "bad faith" to claim damages — a condition absent in "promissory estoppel," which thus becomes a more effective and fairer instrument before the courts.

The second aspect of "culpa in contrahendo," related to consumer protection and the duty to inform buyers before concluding a contract, is comparable to "misrepresentation" in Common Law.

This topic was the subject of William R. Lizárraga Ugarte's doctoral research at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where he analyzed 1,000 Common Law cases and 500 Civil Law cases from Spain, Italy, Germany, and France.

Lima: Lizarraga Law Firm Editorial Fund, 2024.

This book offers a detailed comparison between "culpa in contrahendo" and "promissory estoppel."

It examines the "culpa in contrahendo," a concept developed within Civil Law systems — especially in Germany, Italy, France, and Spain — together with "promissory estoppel," a figure from Common Law, paying particular attention to its operation in the U.S. legal system.

A key difference lies in the third type of "culpa in contrahendo," which requires proof of "bad faith" to claim damages — a condition absent in "promissory estoppel," which thus becomes a more effective and fairer instrument before the courts.

The second aspect of "culpa in contrahendo," related to consumer protection and the duty to inform buyers before concluding a contract, is comparable to "misrepresentation" in Common Law.

This topic was the subject of William R. Lizárraga Ugarte's doctoral research at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where he analyzed 1,000 Common Law cases and 500 Civil Law cases from Spain, Italy, Germany, and France.

Lima: Lizarraga Law Firm Editorial Fund, 2024.

This book addresses one of the most complex and debated topics in International Tax Law: "tax sparing credits". With a rigorous academic approach, William R. Lizárraga Ugarte examines the relevance of tax sparing within the framework of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), analyzing its impact on foreign direct investment, fiscal incentives, and the negotiation between developed and developing countries.

The book presents an in-depth study based on the author's Master's thesis in Tax Law at the University of Florida, translated into Spanish by the author himself. Using a "trialist" method that integrates norms, behaviors, and values, he offers a comparative study of U.S., Canadian, European, and Asian policies, highlighting the inconsistencies of U.S. policy compared to more flexible international positions.

Beyond its technical rigor, the work serves as a reflection tool for lawyers, economists, academics, and policymakers interested in the intersection between globalization, taxation, and economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Arequipa, Peru: Editorial Fund of the Arequipa Bar Association, 2005.

This book critically examines the usefulness of causa in Civil Law and consideration in Common Law as foundational elements of contract formation. Drawing on the evolution of causa from Domat, Pothier, and the Napoleonic Code of 1804, as well as the treatment of consideration in the Restatement of Contracts, the book demonstrates how both doctrines have lost relevance in light of contemporary socio-legal realities and the development of concepts such as promissory estoppel. The author argues that contractual structure rests essentially on consent, form, and subject matter, in line with modern legal approaches that dispense with both causa and consideration.

Because of its breadth and comparative perspective, this book is essential reading for those who study contracts from the viewpoints of both Civil Law and Common Law.

Arequipa-Perú: Universidad Nacional de San Agustín, 2000.

Written thirty years ago by a young law student, this book challenges a legal system confined to rigid written rules and proposes a humanist vision in which law is guided by justice and justice by the supreme value of life. Drawing on Ortega y Gasset and Einstein, as well as the author's early experience drafting judicial decisions, the work explores the tension between strict legalism and the pursuit of equitable outcomes without violating the law. Its enduring message extends beyond the legal profession: meaningful change begins with individuals whose actions are grounded in values, justice, and respect for human life.

Arequipa, Perú: Universidad Nacional de San Agustín, 1996.

Originally published in 1993, this book invites readers to understand success beyond material wealth—as a purposeful life guided by discipline, ethical principles, and service to the common good. Through the story of a young man who dreams of receiving a letter from Success itself, the work brings together insights from existentialist, Buddhist, Christian, and metaphysical philosophy, drawing inspiration from Khalil Gibran's The Prophet, the Bhagavad Gita, and Kant's categorical imperative. Having accompanied thousands of readers, it remains a practical and spiritual compass for achieving personal goals, contributing positively to society, and living with purpose and fulfillment.

Arequipa, Perú: San Agustín University Press, 1993.