This is the fourth edition of this highly regarded work on the law of international commercial litigation as practised in the English courts. As such it is primarily concerned with how commercial disputes which have connections with more than one country are dealt with by the English courts. Much of the law which provides the framework for the resolution of such disputes is derived from international instruments, including recent Conventions and Regulations which have significantly re-shaped the law in the European Union. The scope and impact of these European instruments is fully explained and assessed in this new edition. The work is organised in four parts. The first part considers the jurisdiction of the English courts and the recognition and enforcement in England of judgments granted by the courts of other countries. This part of the work, which involves analysis of both the Brussels I Regulation and the so-called traditional rules, includes chapters dealing with jurisdiction in personam and in rem, anti-suit injunctions and provisional measures. The work's second part focuses on the rules which determine whether English law or the law of another country is applicable to a given situation. The part includes a discussion of choice of law in contract and tort, with particular attention being devoted to the recent Rome I and Rome II Regulations. The third part of the work includes three new chapters on international aspects of insolvency (in particular, under the EC Insolvency Regulation) and the final part focuses on an analysis of legal aspects of international commercial arbitration. In particular, this part examines: the powers of the English courts to support or supervise an arbitration; the effect of an arbitration agreement on the jurisdiction of the English courts; the law which governs an arbitration agreement and the parties' dispute; and the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitration awards. This title is included in Bloomsbury Professional's International Arbitration online service.

The second thematic volume in the series Studies in Private International Law – Asia looks into direct jurisdiction, that is, the situations in which the courts of 15 key Asian states (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India) are prepared to hear a case involving cross-border elements. For instance, where parties are habitually resident abroad and a dispute has only some, little or no connection with an Asian state, will the courts of that state accept jurisdiction and hear the case and (if so) on what conditions? More specifically, the book's chapters explore the circumstances in which different Asian states assume or decline jurisdiction not just in commercial matters, but also in other types of action (such as family, consumer and employment disputes). The Introduction defines terminology and identifies similarities in the approaches to direct jurisdiction taken by the 15 Asian states in civil and commercial litigation. Taking its cue from this, the Conclusion assesses whether there should be a multilateral convention or soft law instrument articulating principles of direct jurisdiction for Asia. The Conclusion also discusses possible trajectories that Asian states may be taking in respect of direct jurisdiction in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the political tensions currently besetting the world. The book suggests that enacting suitable rules of direct jurisdiction requires an Asian state to strike a delicate balance between affording certainty and protecting its nationals. At heart, direct jurisdiction involves sometimes difficult policy considerations and is not just about drawing up lists of jurisdictional grounds and exceptions to them.

This is the second edition of the highly successful book first published in 1989. However, it has been extensively revised in content and updated: Eight out of 14 chapters are new including chapters such as The Constitutional Framework of Powers, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and The Singapore Legal System and International Law; and the law on all subjects has been updated.

The Law and Business of Litigation Finance considers the international development of the law and practice of high value litigation and arbitration funding. It is an essential guide for those who provide or seek such funding, as well as for anyone who wishes to understand the litigation funding process and to avoid pitfalls. It answers questions such as: - How do litigation funders raise capital and how do they spend it? - What are their corporate and financial structures? - What type of cases do they invest in and what are their returns? - What are the key legal issues relating to litigation funding? The Law and Business of Litigation Finance assists various parties, including: - Those who do not have the resources or risk appetite to proceed in litigation or arbitration without financial support - Law firms who are interested in a significant business development opportunity, and fairer outcome for litigants - Insolvent estates, whose biggest assets are their potential claims - Judges, arbitrators and other neutral parties in funded dispute resolution cases - Regulators, legislators and policymakers in the fields of legal and financial services - Investors who seek high risk, high return opportunities The book is edited by one of the most accomplished litigation funders in the international market and has contributions from leading experts drawn from legal practice, financiers and academia. The focus is on the UK and the US, the two main centres for the international litigation funding industry, with reference to Australia, New Zealand and other select jurisdictions. As the first book on litigation finance to take an international, and particularly transatlantic, perspective, this is a must-have guide for all lawyers, commercial court judges, legal policy makers, regulators, investors, and academics in these jurisdictions.

Theory, Law and Practice of Maritime Arbitration The Case of International Contracts for the Carriage of Goods by Sea Eva Litina It is estimated that over 80% of global trade by volume is carried by sea, making maritime transport a cornerstone of the global economy. Most disputes in the shipping industry are settled by distinctive, private arbitral proceedings that are best understood by a close examination of the standard form contracts that are used in practice and of the case law arising therefrom. Extrapolating insightfully from these sources, the author of this book examines in depth the phenomenon of maritime arbitration with a specific focus on contracts for the carriage of goods by sea. She offers the first comprehensive and comparative analysis of arbitral practice in the three jurisdictions where the most frequently selected maritime arbitral seats are located: London, New York, and Singapore. An analysis of the applicable rules and relevant case law in each jurisdiction provides the basis from which a comparative assessment of maritime arbitral seats is achieved. The book addresses the following key aspects of maritime arbitration: maritime arbitration’s definition, origins, theoretical underpinnings, socioeconomic context, and significance; the maritime-specific reasons for wide use of ad hoc versus institutional arbitration; the international instruments governing arbitration in contracts for the carriage of goods by sea; the shipping industry’s pursuit of self-regulation via standard form contracts; the arbitration agreement contained in standard form charterparties and bills of lading; maritime arbitration’s unique approach to judicial review, confidentiality, and arbitrator impartiality; the specific dispute resolution objectives that compel a comparative assessment of maritime arbitral seats; and the future of maritime arbitration in light of international political, financial, and technological developments. In addition to the three main maritime arbitral seats, the analysis touches on maritime arbitration in other relevant jurisdictions, such as Hong Kong, Greece, Japan, and Korea, thus affording a comparison of the process in common and civil law jurisdictions. The book concludes by considering the potential impact of the current international political landscape, and suggesting future perspectives and research in international maritime arbitration. An important addition to scholarship in this field of law, the book’s thorough assessment of the merits of the competing maritime arbitral seats—and its specific focus on maritime disputes—will prove of significant importance to arbitrators, law firms, in-house counsel of shipping companies, international organizations, and arbitration institutions and associations. Practitioners will discover all tools necessary to examine any case before the main maritime arbitral seats with full awareness of each applicable legal regime and its distinguishing features.