An inquiry into the philosophical foundations of labour law is a challenging one, and reviewing a volume of eighteen such chapters only magnifies the challenge. The chapters in this volume cover a wide terrain, encompassing most areas of labour law and thus the intersections between law, society and the economy, within particular realms, and through particular theoretical and at times philosophical perspectives. This arguably reorganizes the inspiring ideas raised by the chapters into a ‘mainstream’ labour law curriculum, while weaving them through with a different strand of philosophical enquiry – that of legal philosophy, and in particular, legal realism. The review begins with the question of employment status (and the corresponding scope of labour law), turning to the contract of employment; statutory protection and employment regulation; equality and non-discrimination; and, finally, trade unions and collective labour law. It concludes with some brief observations on labour law and migration.