Despite its many distinguished proponents over time, ex aequo et bono – the idea of deciding disputes on the basis of what an adjudicator regards as fair and equitable – has failed to take hold in international commercial arbitration (ICA). Formalisation and fossilisation of arbitral procedure, as manifested in the increasing use of litigation-style practice, unfortunately reign instead. This bold and challenging book argues that parties to an arbitration should be more willing for their cross-border disputes to be decided (and arbitrators should be more prepared to decide those disputes) in accordance with broad principles of equity and fairness, rather than by strict adherence to technical rules of law. Putting forward suggestions based on extensive research and doctrinal considerations, this book invites us to confront what ICA was supposed to be, what it now is and what it can be. In particular, Dr Teramura discusses how, by resorting to ex aequo et bono, arbitrators can: construe contractual terms, including the limits; apply trade usages; deal with mandatory rules of a given forum or place of performance; minimise the cost and length of time that arbitration takes; avoid the abuse of discretion; and ensure predictable results. The book examines significant differences in the way that ex aequo et bono arbitration is understood among various state and international institutions. It attempts to identify a ‘common core’ of universally accepted concepts underlying those different understandings. The book argues that ex aequo et bono has the potential to reform ICA without undermining its positive aspects. Along the way, it discusses the implications of ex aequo et bono arbitration on the now widely used UNCITRAL Model Law on ICA. It should thus appeal to lay business persons and commercial law practitioners who are looking for an economical and efficient way to solve business disputes within a globalised arbitration framework.

The Crucible of Public Policy: New York Courts in the Progressive Era relates the dramatic story of New York State courts, particularly the Court of Appeals, in deciding on the constitutionality of key state statutes in the progressive era. The Court of Appeals, second in importance only to the United States Supreme Court, made groundbreaking decisions on the constitutional validity of laws relating to privacy, personal liberty, state regulation of business, women workers' hours, compensation for on-the-job injuries, public health, and other vital areas. In the process, the Court became a crucible of sorts—a place where complex public policy issues of the day were argued and decided. These decisions set precedents that continue to influence contemporary debates. The book puts people—those who made the laws, were impacted by them, supported or opposed them in public forums, and the courts, attorneys, and judges—at the center of the story. Author Bruce W. Dearstyne presents new material previously unused by scholars, reflecting extensive research in the Court of Appeals' archival records.

Investment arbitration has become the key forum to settle disputes between investors and the host state. It is not clear from the arbitration agreements which body of law the arbitrators should apply: national or international. This book examines how the legal framework which the arbitral panels operate in influences which body of law they apply.

Irrespective of the increasing harmonization of law at the transnational level, every arbitration raises a number of confl ict of laws problems relating to procedural questions as well as to issues concerning the merits of the case. Unlike a state court judge, the arbitrator has no "lex fori" in the proper sense providing the relevant confl ict rules to determine the applicable law. This raises the question of what confl ict of laws rules to apply and, consequently, of the extent of the freedom the arbitrator enjoys in dealing with this and related issues. The best example of the importance of confl ict of laws questions in arbitration is the Vivendi-Elektrim saga where the outcome of the various proceedings depended on the question of characterization. This very beneficial book is dealing with - the arbitration agreement, - the jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal, - the law applicable to the merits and - the arbitration procedure.

In this book, senior judges and academics at the forefront of transnational commercial law in Asia, Australia, Europe, the US, and elsewhere, reflect on the implications of anti-globalism and the COVID-19 pandemic on international commercial dispute resolution (ICDR). The chapters consider: (1) What types of cross-border commercial disputes will arise in the future and what resources will be needed to respond to them in a cost-effective, time-efficient, and equitable manner? (2) Is there still merit in a multilateral approach to transnational commercial law and ICDR, despite the closing of borders, the rise of protectionism, and the disruption of global supply chains? (3) What reforms and innovations should courts, arbitrators, and mediators contemplate when navigating the post-pandemic landscape? (4) Can the accelerated use of remote technology in ICDR (as prompted by the pandemic) be leveraged to enhance access to justice for all? With a focus on the current crisis in globalism, as well as the associated problems of ensuring justice and fairness in the resolution of cross-border commercial and investment-state disputes along the Belt-and-Road and elsewhere, the book will be an invaluable resource for academics, judges and practitioners alike.

Widely regarded as the most important ground for refusal under the 1958 United Nations Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York Convention), Article V(1)(b), commonly referred to as the ‘due process’ clause, is interpreted in diverse ways across jurisdictions. This book not only thoroughly examines the variety of approaches to the clause adopted by different national courts but also presents a particular understanding of the transnational approach to the due process defence grounded in the interpretative framework of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Drawing on insights and methods from comparative law that consider not only national legal systems but also international commercial arbitration and other international legal regimes, the author specifically leverages the principle of audiatur et altera pars and subsequent state practice. Among the matters examined are the following: threshold requirements for the due process defence; policy considerations of and relevant limits to the interpretation and application of the due process defence; proper notice of the appointment of the arbitrator or of the arbitration proceedings; opportunity to present a case and equal treatment; and the lex arbitri, lex fori, and uniform transnational approaches to the applicable law for the due process defence. The book includes a detailed comparative analysis of numerous domestic judicial decisions across jurisdictions. A comprehensive bibliography includes references to cases, awards, treaties, UN Documents, legislation, institutional rules, and soft laws. The book shows clearly how an understanding of transnational due process grounded in the interpretative framework mandated by international law can contribute to the uniform interpretation and application of Article V(1)(b), thus contributing to debates on the decentralised interpretation of international law by domestic courts. Resolving a range of practical questions about the precise content of the due process defence, the book’s stable and principled framework for interpreting the due process defence will be greatly appreciated by arbitration professionals. Judges will benefit from its endorsement of international judicial cooperation through the recognition and consideration of foreign court decisions, fostering a more harmonised interpretation of the New York Convention.

In this book various perspectives on fundamental rights in the fields of public and private international law are innovatively covered. Published on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the T.M.C. Asser Instituut in The Hague, the collection reflects the breadth and scope of the Institute’s research activities in the fields of public international law, EU law, private international law and international and European sports law. It does so by shedding more light on topical issues – such as drone warfare, the fight against terrorism, the international trade environment nexus and forced arbitration – that can be related to the theme of fundamental rights, which runs through all these four areas of research. Points of divergence and areas of common ground are uncovered in contributions from both staff members and distinguished external authors, having long-standing academic relations with the Institute. The Editors of this book are all staff members of the T.M.C. Asser Instituut, each of them representing one of the areas of research the Institute covers.