The growing acceptance of the concept of transnational rules, be they substantive or procedural, has directly contributed to a substantial decrease of the influence of local norms. Transnational principles often override domestic law, and the arbitral process sometimes takes precedence over court decisions. Moreover, the exceptional development of investment arbitration has called into question traditional values of commercial arbitration such as confidentiality and the privity of arbitral proceedings. Widespread publication of awards rendered has also rejuvenated the debate on the value of arbitral awards as precedents. This book critically explores the extent to which these phenomena contribute to the creation of a truly uniform international arbitration law.

"This important book will be of great interest to arbitration lawyers, international lawyers and business people, as well as to academics, libraries, and students of dispute resolution."--Publisher's website.

Numerous jurisdictions worldwide have augmented their ratification of the New York Convention of 1958 with the UNCITRAL Model Law 1985 (UML), which takes a giant step forward toward global uniformity in legal application and understanding of the arbitration process. This book develops a standard or benchmark for the UML objective of uniformity, using the relevant legislation and case law of Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia to consider whether a uniform approach to implementation of the UML and its interpretation is being achieved across those jurisdictions. The author’s methodological tools are eminently adaptable to other jurisdictions. Given the importance of the ability to set aside an arbitral award, the body of case law on setting aside and the directly related area of enforcement, the emphasis throughout is on Article 34. In addition, the study considers: - the meaning of uniformity in law and in the context of the UML; - the correct approach to interpretation of the UML pre and post Article 2A; - the interpretational relationship between the UML and the Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG); - the relationship between the UML and the New York Convention; - the degree of textual uniformity of Article 34 with the three jurisdictions focused on; and - the degree of applied uniformity of Article 34 both in terms of juristic methodology and similarity of results. The author, with more than thirty years of practice in the field of commercial arbitration in Hong Kong, has had access to voluminous cases spanning decades and brings his specialist expertise to the subject. This book considers whether the UML has succeeded in its aim of achieving uniformity. It serves as a guide, both academic and practical, to exploring and adopting the correct approach to the interpretation of the UML as well as to the method of classification of court decisions under the UML. This study is of immeasurable academic and practical value.

Arbitration is an essential component in business. In an age when transparency is a maxim, important issues which the laws governing arbitration currently fail to address are the extent to which disclosure of information can be constrained by private agreement along with the extent to which the duty to preserve confidentiality can be stretched. Absent a coherent legal framework and extensive qualitative and quantitative data, it is equally difficult to suggest and predict future directions. This book offers a tool for attaining centralised access to otherwise fragmentary and dispersed material, as well as a comprehensive analysis and detailed exposition of the position in relation to confidentiality in arbitration in the jurisdictions of England, USA, France and Germany.

This book expounds the theory of international arbitration law. It explains in easily accessible terms all the fundamentals of arbitration, from separability of the arbitration agreement to competence-competence over procedural autonomy, finality of the award, and many other concepts. It does so with a focus on international arbitration law and jurisprudence in Switzerland, a global leader in the field. With a broader reach than a commentary of Chapter 12 of the Swiss Private International Law Act, the discussion contains numerous references to comparative law and its developments in addition to an extensive review of the practice of international tribunals. Written by two well-known specialists - Professor Kaufmann-Kohler being one of the leading arbitrators worldwide and Professor Rigozzi one of the foremost experts in sports arbitration - the work reflects many years of experience in managing arbitral proceedings involving commercial, investment, and sports disputes. This expertise is the basis for the solutions proposed to resolve the many practical issues that may arise in the course of an arbitration. It also informs the discussion of the arbitration rules addressed in the book, from the ICC Arbitration Rules to the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration, the CAS Code, and the UNCITRAL Rules. While the book covers commercial and sports arbitrations primarily, it also applies to investment arbitrations conducted under rules other than the ICSID framework.

Capturing the Change: Universalising Tendencies in Legal Interpretation Joanna Jemielniak and Przemys aw Mik aszewicz International and supranational integration on the European continent, as well as the harmonisation of the rules of international trade and the accompanying dev- opment and global popularity of the resolution of commercial disputes through arbitration, constantly exerts a considerable in uence on modern legal systems. The sources of each of these phenomena are different, and their action is dissimilar. Each can be described as reaching either from the top to the bottom, through the direct involvement of interested States and consequently affecting their internal legal s- tems (international and supranational integration; harmonisation of trade regulations through public international law instruments), or bottom-up, as a result of activity by private parties, leading to the achievement of uniform practices and standards (ar- tration, lex mercatoria). Nonetheless, they both enrich national legal cultures and contribute to transgressing the limits of national (local) particularisms in creating, interpreting and applying the law. The aim of this book is to demonstrate how these processes have in uenced the interpretation of law, how they have shaped the methods and techniques of the interpretation and with what consequences for the outcomes of the interpretative procedures. In assessing the extent of this in uence, due regard must be paid to the fact that the interpretation of law is not, in principle, directly determined by the provisions of law itself.

A convenient, neutral location, with a long-standing tradition of arbitration, arbitration-friendly legislation, arbitration-supportive courts, and an exemplary infrastructure – for all of these reasons, parties often choose Switzerland as their preferred seat of arbitration. Switzerland continues to therefore play a leading role in the field of arbitration. This book, since its first edition in 2004, has been widely used as a peerless practitioners’ guide to international arbitration in Switzerland. Keeping in line with the first edition, this second edition describes in detail each phase of arbitral proceedings, from drafting the arbitration clause to challenge and enforcement of the award. The second edition continues to pay close attention to all aspects, including procedure before the arbitral tribunal, interim measures, confidentiality, the mediation alternative, and many other topics. The new edition has been extensively revised to take fully into account the newly amended Swiss Rules of International Arbitration, as well as numerous changes internationally, such as the revised ICC Rules and the revised UNCITRAL Rules. Many new decisions of the Swiss Federal Tribunal relating to arbitration are also considered, as is legal commentary. The second edition also features a chart comparing major institutional arbitration rules on all aspects of the arbitral process covered by those rules. There are also two entirely new chapters – one on the legislative framework of Swiss arbitration law, and one addressing costs of arbitration. The approach throughout is rigorously practice-oriented, adding theoretical support whenever necessary. With the help of this book, practitioners will proceed confidently as they approach such tasks as the following: drafting an effective arbitration clause and choosing between ad hoc and institutional arbitration; understanding the manner in which arbitral proceedings can be structured and evaluating what is best suited to their needs; weighing the possibilities of interim relief at their disposal; anticipating the duration and costs of proceedings; and assessing post-award options. Whilst focusing on the latest developments in international commercial arbitration, International Arbitration in Switzerland includes sections on sports arbitration (with a focus on the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne) and on Swiss-based public international law dispute settlement mechanisms, such as those of the WTO and the UNCC. The book provides useful answers to concrete questions that in-house lawyers, outside counsel, and arbitrators are confronted with when practicing international arbitration in Switzerland. With its wealth of practical expertise and up-to-date information, it will enable foreign in-house and external counsel to make the appropriate choices and decisions. It will be indispensable for all practitioners and academics interested in arbitration in Switzerland.

This book examines the intersection between contemporary International Commercial Arbitration and Shariʿa law in order to determine possible tensions that may arise between the two systems. It develops evidentiary and procedural rules under Shariʿa, as well as examining the consequences of stipulating qualifications of arbitrators based on gender and/or religion. The author extensively analyses the prohibition against interest (riba) and uncertainty (gharar) under Shariʿa and its impact on arbitration agreements, arbitral awards and public policy. The book also explores the prohibition against riba in light of international conventions, such as the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. Case studies in the book include the Asian International Arbitration Centre, formerly the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration, and the International Islamic Centre for Reconciliation and Arbitration, as well as the ‘Shari’a Standards’ developed by the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions. The book will be a valuable resource for academics, students and practitioners working in the areas of Islamic law and the Islamic finance industry.

The Compendium, like an encyclopedia, contains entries for most of the foundational principles and concepts underlying arbitration. Each entry takes a holistic view of international arbitration, as they tackle core concepts from both a commercial and an investment arbitration perspective, focusing on the fundamental issues underlying the various topics rather than on the solutions adopted in any particular jurisdiction, thus making the Compendium a truly cross-border, transnational resource. This innovative approach will allow readers to identify the commonalities as well as the differences between commercial and investment arbitration, whether and where cross-fertilization has taken place and what consequences it can have. This approach allows the Compendium to be a tool in promoting the creation of a culture of international arbitration that considers commercial arbitration and investment arbitration as part of a whole but with certain distinct features particular to each.

A comprehensive review of the arbitration law and practice in the Czech Republic including: discussion of arbitration practice and procedure; an examination of the jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal; the appointment of arbitrators including the challenge and replacement of arbitrators; an analysis of the various types of awards including a discussion on deliberations, agreements, settlements, and the costs of arbitration; a discussion on the amendment and challenge of awards including the liability of arbitrators; and, a review of the enforcement of domestic and foreign arbitration awards.