Law Commons^™

Recent Private International Law Developments Before The Supreme Court Of Canada, Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

A trilogy of interesting cases involving private international law recently wended their way to the Supreme Court of Canada: (1) King v. Drabinsky (an Ontario case addressing the applicability of the Charter in respect of the enforcement of a foreign judgment); (2) Teck Cominco Metals Ltd. v. Lloyd's Underwriters (a British Columbia case involving declaratory relief in the context of parallel proceedings and forum non conveniens); and (3) Yugraneft v. Rexx Management Corporation (an Alberta case which affirmed that the two-year limitation period under s.3 of Alberta's Limitations Act, governs when a party seeks the recognition and enforcement in Alberta …

"'Winning Is Only Half The Battle': Procedural Issues Relating To The Recognition And Enforcement Of Foreign Arbitral Awards”, Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

This article addresses some potential problems which may arise in the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards under the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, including the application of the Ontario Limitations Act, 2002 which has changed the conflict of laws rules relating to the law of limitations from a procedural to a substantive issue.

An 'Unconventional Truth': Conflict Of Laws Issues Arising Under The Cisg, Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

This article discusses the applicability of the CISG from a Canadian conflict of laws perspective - both in terms of jurisdiction and choice of law. The analysis is framed by providing an outline of the key jurisdictional and choice of law principles developed within Canadian jurisprudence. Following a brief contextual overview of the CISG, Articles 1(1) (a) and 1(1) (b) and Article 6 of the CISG are highlighted, with specific reference to recent Canadian and foreign judicial decisions and foreign arbitral awards involving Canadian parties. The article concludes with a clarion call to justice stakeholders, particularly, Canadian commercial lawyers and …

Staking Claims Against Foreign Defendants In Canada: Choice Of Law And Jurisdiction Issues Arising From The In Personam Exception To The Mocambique Rule For Foreign Immovables, Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

Canadian courts have struggled in distinguishing between in personam jurisdiction and subject-matter jurisdiction (and specifically the Mocambique rule). In particular, they appear to overlook the two-fold jurisdictional requirement that in order to proceed in a given case they must have both types of jurisdiction - in personam and subject-matter - and that when jurisdictional challenges arise due to the fact that the dispute deals with foreign immovables Canadian courts, influenced by the post-Morguard focus on in personam jurisdiction, are dealing with the foreign land question under the rubric of in personam jurisdiction, not under the traditional heading of subject-matter jurisdiction. …

A Strategic Functionalist Approach To International Commercial Mediation, Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

Mediation in the international context is a relatively recent phenomenon. As an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism, third-party neutral mediation is firmly entrenched in the legal ethos and procedural rules of most common law jurisdictions; such as the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. However, in the rest of the world, including many European, Latin American and Asian nations with civil law traditions, mediation remains an elusive concept. Some commentators suggest this may be due in part to differences in systemic (i.e. adversarial vs. inquisitorial) and cultural (i.e. mediation vs. conciliation) orientations.

This paper considers whether International Mediation is …

“To Boldly Go Where No One Has (Arbitrated) Before”:The Star Trek Mythos As An Heuristic Paradigm For Jurisdictional And Arbitration Issues, Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

While the topic of international arbitration has failed to capture the interest of Hollywood producers or television audiences, the science fiction genre yields a serendipitous result. Using an excerpt from a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, this brief comment analyzes the impact of law and popular culture on the issues of the rule of law, jurisdiction and international (more accurately, "intergalactic") comity within the context of bilateral and multilateral treaty obligations.

“The (Cisg) Road Less Travelled”: Grecon Dimter Inc. V. J.R. Normand Inc., Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

This case comment discusses two recently released Canadian decisions on the enforceability of arbitration clauses from the perspective of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods 1980 CISG). At first glance, the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in GreCon Dimter Inc. v. J.R. Normand Inc. appears to be a case upholding the primacy of international commercial arbitration, choice of forum and choice of law clauses. Upon closer scrutiny, however, the Supreme Court of Canada failed to consider the application of the CISG to the overall dispute. Interestingly, the same choice of forum and choice of …

Bringing Locus Into Focus: A Choice-Of-Law Methodology For Cisg-Based Concurrent Contract And Product Liability Claims, Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

The article discusses choice-of-law theories for both contractual and tort/product liability claims governed by the CISG. The underlying theme is that concurrent claims are not necessarily equivalent claims. While concurrent liability in contract and tort (namely, product liability) may be applicable or alternative remedies available, the focus of the CISG is the harmonization of rules governing international sale contracts. The article argues that factors such as the place of injury or where the damages are sustained are less relevant than the situs of the contract, based upon the view that, without privity of contract, the concurrent tort would not arise. …

The Hague Convention On Choice Of Court Agreements, Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

The Hague Choice of Court Convention, concluded on June 30th, 2005, represents a significant step forward towards improved harmonization of international trade law by providing greater certainty and predictability for parties involved in business-to-business (B2B) agreements and transnational litigation. The Hague Choice of Court Convention offers a viable alternative to arbitration as a method of transnational dispute resolution. At a minimum, functional reciprocity between Contracting States is more likely to be achieved through this multilateral treaty, which codifies the private international law principles of comity, good faith and order and fairness, espoused by most common law courts, including the Supreme …

Strangers In A Strange Land - Transnational Litigation, Foreign Judgment Recognition, And Enforcement In Ontario, Antonin I. Pribetic

Antonin I. Pribetic

Well into the new millennium, the landscape of international business commerce continues to change dramatically. As many companies expand into global markets, the extant business reality of prosecuting or defending lawsuits arises from companies relying upon standard or boiler plate contracts or invoices when selling goods and services to customers or buying products from suppliers or third parties. This article discusses transnational contractual and litigation issues in Canada, with specific application to the province of Ontario. This article first addresses, from an Ontario company perspective, the importance of incorporating choice of forum, choice of law, and time of the essence …