Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 4 of 4
Full-Text Articles in Law
Empiricism And International Law: Insights For Investment Treaty Dispute Resolution, Susan Franck
Empiricism And International Law: Insights For Investment Treaty Dispute Resolution, Susan Franck
Susan D. Franck
While scholars in the United States increasingly focus on the empirical dimension of legal scholarship, there have been challenges in using empiricism to explore international legal issues. Rather than relying on logic or instinct alone, empirical methodologies can provide scholars with tools to gain new facts, see existing ideas through a different lens, and engage in a more nuanced analysis of international law phenomena. There appears to be a natural synergy between empiricism and international investment treaty dispute resolution. With calls for trade time outs by U.S. presidential candidates, there is interest in how investment treaties function, whether they achieve …
The Icsid Effect? Considering Potential Variations In Arbitration Awards, Susan Franck
The Icsid Effect? Considering Potential Variations In Arbitration Awards, Susan Franck
Susan D. Franck
The legitimacy of the World Bank's dispute resolution body - The International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) - is a matter of heated debate. Some states have alleged that ICSID is biased, withdrawn from the ICSID Convention, and advocated creating alternative arbitration systems. Using pre-2007 archival data of the population of then- known arbitration awards, this Article quantitatively assesses whether ICSID arbitration awards were substantially different from arbitration awards rendered in other forums. The Article examines variation in the amounts claimed and outcomes reached to evaluate indicators of bias. The results indicated that there was no reliable …
The Nature And Enforcement Of Investor Rights Under Investment Treaties: Do Investment Treaties Have A Bright Future?, Susan Franck
The Nature And Enforcement Of Investor Rights Under Investment Treaties: Do Investment Treaties Have A Bright Future?, Susan Franck
Susan D. Franck
The number of bilateral and multilateral investment treaties has surged in the past decade. Investors are actively using these treaties to bring claims against sovereign states, and many of these tribunals have come to conflicting - if not diametrically opposed - results on the meaning of substantive treaty rights. This article evaluates the positive and negative attributes of such inconsistencies and the impact upon the rule of law. The article recommends building safeguards into the current dispute resolution process to minimize the negative impact of inconsistency and maximize its positive attributes.
The Liability Of International Arbitrators: A Comparative Analysis And Proposal For Qualified Immunity, Susan Franck
The Liability Of International Arbitrators: A Comparative Analysis And Proposal For Qualified Immunity, Susan Franck
Susan D. Franck
International arbitration has become the preferred way of resolving international commercial disputes. Although the parties have an opportunity to play a role in the selection of arbitrators, there may nevertheless be concerns about the integrity of the dispute resolution process. This article examines the nature of the relationship between the parties and the arbitrators. It then explores how a variety of countries address the issues of arbitrator liability or immunity from the common law, civil law and Islamic law perspectives. The article ultimately recommends the adoption of a qualified immunity standard, which balances the needs for arbitrators to function independently …