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The State Of External Law's Effect On The Arbitration Process. Iii. A Commentary On The External Law Papers And Iv. Panel Discussion, Theodore J. St. Antoine, Marilyn S. Teitelbaum, Robert Vercruysse

Book Chapters

Marilyn Teitelbaum: I think I have the best of all worlds because I can read these great papers, without having to prepare one of my own, and like all lawyers I like to talk. So, I can share my views, that sometimes diverge from both of the views just presented, particularly the view from the management perspective.

In one part of Ted St. Antoine’s paper that was not discussed with you today, he says that the external law question may be a “tempest in a tea pot.” My words would be similar—“much ado about nothing.” I think there is a …

External Law In Arbitration Hard-Boiled, Soft-Boiled, And Sunny-Side Up, Theodore J. St. Antoine

Book Chapters

Thirty-seven years ago Bernie Meltzer and the late Bob Howlett squared off at our annual meeting in a classic confrontation on an issue that refuses to die. What should an arbitrator do when there is a seemingly irreconcilable conflict between a provision of a collective bargaining agreement and the dictates of external law? Professor Meltzer was the hard-boiled logician. Arbitrators' proper domain is the parties' contract, said he, and we "should respect the agreement and ignore the law" when the two diverge. Howlett took the softer, more accomodating approach. He reasoned that "every agreement incorporates all applicable law" and so …