Law Commons^™

"What We Lose In Sales, We Make Up In Volume": The Faulty Logic Of The Financial Services Industry's Response To The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Proposed Rule Prohibiting Class Action Bans In Arbitration Clauses, Richard Frankel

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract forthcoming.

Antitrust Arbitration And Merger Approval, Mark A. Lemley, Christopher R. Leslie

Northwestern University Law Review

In a string of recent opinions, the Supreme Court has made it harder for consumers to avoid arbitration clauses, even when businesses strategically insert provisions in them that effectively prevent consumers from being able to bring any claim in any forum.

Arbitration differs from litigation in ways that harm the interests of consumer antitrust plaintiffs. For example, arbitration limits discovery and has no meaningful appeals process. Furthermore, defendants use the terms in arbitration clauses to prevent class actions and to undercut the pro-plaintiff features of antitrust law, including mandatory treble damages, meaningful injunctive relief, recovery of attorneys’ fees, and a …

Sticky Arbitration Clauses - The Use Of Arbitration Clauses After Concepcion And Amex, Peter B. Rutledge, Christopher R. Drahozal

Vanderbilt Law Review

We present the results of the first empirical study of the extent to which businesses have switched to arbitration after AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion. The Supreme Court's decision in Concepcion led commentators to predict that every business soon would use an arbitration clause, coupled with a class arbitration waiver, in their standard form contracts to avoid the risk of class actions. We examine two samples of franchise agreements: one sample in which we track changes in arbitration clauses since 1999, and a broader sample focusing on changes since 2011, immediately before Concepcion was decided. Our central finding is consistent …

Viability Of Arbitration Clauses In West Virginia Oil And Gas Leases: It Is All About The Lease!!!, Phillip T. Glyptis

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Arbitration Clauses In Fee Retainer Agreements., Chrissy L. Schwennsen

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Due to the variety of approaches jurisdictions employ when determining the legal ramifications of arbitration clauses in fee retainer agreements, it’s best to include an explanation of the legal consequences of arbitration in the agreements. The attorney can, and should, fully explain the potential benefits of arbitration to clients. State courts take various viewpoints on the issue, and most stand contrary to the position of the American Bar Association (ABA) and state ethics committees on the subject. Consequently, attorneys must disclose truthful and accurate information regarding arbitration agreements when engaged in multijurisdictional practice in order to ensure protection from malpractice …

If It Only Had A Heart: Supreme Court Eschews Compassion For Cash-Strapped Consumers In Upholding The Validity Of Arbitration Clauses In Credit Repair Contracts, Collin Koenig

Journal of Dispute Resolution

in CompuCredit Corp. v. Greenwood, the Supreme Court was faced with the issue of whether consumers' claims under the CROA can be resolved through contractually required arbitration, or whether the language of the statute requires resolution between credit repair organizations and consumers may include enforceable arbitration agreements. This note criticizes the Supreme Court's reasoning, partly inspired by Justice Ginsburg's dissent. In enforcing arbitrability of CROA disputes, the Court has acted contrary to Congress' purposes of the Act: to ensure that consumers are making an "informed decision" when dealing with CROs and to protect consumers from deceptive credit repair services. In …

Eliminating The Mandatory Trade-Off: Should Employees Have The Right To Choose Arbitration ?, Michael Peabody

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

As more employers include mandatory arbitration provisions in their employment contracts, policy-makers are becoming concerned that employees are being forced to trade their civil and statutory rights for their jobs. The California Legislature is considering legislation designed to combat this tendency and to provide legal protection for employees who might otherwise be forced to waive the right for redress of grievances, legal protections against discrimination, and other rights. Although the legislation was designed to protect the constitutional rights of employees, there are legal considerations and policy concerns that challenge the viability of this type of legislation. The primary question is …

Medical Malpractice Arbitration In The New Millennium: Much Ado About Nothing ?, Ann H. Nevers

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

This paper reviews the constitutional issues surrounding medical malpractice arbitration clauses and the implementation of arbitration contracts, and the existing medical malpractice process. Federal preemption issues under the Federal Arbitration Act, enterprise liability and ERISA preemption, and cybermalpractice will be discussed. Finally, dispute resolution industry standards implemented by the American Arbitration Association and American Health Lawyers Association will be reviewed as well as current medical malpractice mediation practices in industry. While the past has shown that arbitration has not been used a great deal future trends may increase use. Emerging medical malpractice arbitration issues arising in the new millennium include …

Looking Into A Crystal Ball: Courts' Inevitable Refusal To Enforce Parties' Contracts To Expand Judicial Review Of Non-Domestic Arbitral Awards, Eric Chafetz

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

This article will first discuss the legislative history of the NY Convention in general and the history of its vacatur provisions in particular. Second, it will summarize certain federal court decisions that address the Expansion Issues and reach the Consensus. Third, it will argue that the Expansion Issues were resolved incorrectly, because the courts addressing them do not recognize how the operative/material language in section 207 of Ch. 2 of the FAA and section 9 of Ch. 129 of the FAA has a virtually identical meaning, and therefore should have been construed and applied in the same manner. Fourth, this …

Foreclosure By Arbitration?, R. Wilson Freyermuth

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Must The District Court Issue A Stay After A Decision Adverse To Arbitration Is Appealed, And To What Extent Are Arbitration Clauses Applied Retroactively Note, Benjamin Faber

Journal of Dispute Resolution

By creating new rules to fill in the gaps left by the FAA, the federal circuit courts may have muddied the waters of how and why parties assent to arbitration, and the ramifications of their decisions could change how and why parties bind themselves and each other to arbitration in the future. This note will address these issues in six remaining parts. Part II will briefly outline the pertinent facts of Levin." Part III addresses the circuit split on whether federal courts should issue an automatic stay of legislation pending an appeal to compel arbitration under § 16(a)(1)(A) of the …

A Senior Moment: The Executive Branch Solution To The Problem Of Binding Arbitration Agreements In Nursing Home Admission Contracts, Lisa Tripp

Campbell Law Review

No abstract provided.

Interest Arbitration Clauses In Sec. 8(F) Pre-Hire Agreements: Effective For Achieving Genuine Collective Bargaining Or Enabling Parties To Underhandedly Gain Majority Bargaining Power, Thomas Riske

Journal of Dispute Resolution

In Sheet Metal Workers' International Ass'n, Local Union No. 2 v. McElroy's Inc., the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit considered whether an employer was required to submit to interest arbitration with a union under the pre-hire agreement entered into by the parties. The applicability of the statutory standards for pre-hire agreements to bargained-for labor and employment contracts is an essential element of this case. When interpreting federal statutory law, the majority of jurisdictions permit unilateral repudiation upon the expiration of a pre-hire agreement and a small minority of jurisdictions allow for the agreement to be repudiated …

Arbitration Of Employer Violations Of The West Virginia Human Rights Act: West Virginia Should Make Like Ants Marching And Continue Its Pursuit Of Bliss, Nicholas S. Johnson

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Arbitration Clauses Should Be Enforced According To Their Terms - Except When They Shouldn't Be: The Ninth Circuit Limits Parties' Ability To Contract For Standards Of Review Of Arbitration Awards - Kyocera Corporation V. Prudential-Bache Trade Services, Jonathan R. Bunch

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Arbitration is the process whereby parties submit disputes to a third, neutral party who will issue a decision that is both final and binding upon the parties. The Supreme Court has recognized arbitration as a valuable form of dispute resolution, with its primary advantages being speed, affordability, and the lower degree of hostility created by a less adversarial environment. In contrast to litigation, the standards of review for arbitral awards are defined in the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) and are extremely narrow. In somewhat of a collision-course with the terms of the FAA is the fact that some courts have …

The Arbitrability Of Side And Settlement Agreements In The Collective Bargaining Context, Richard A. Bales

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Brief Overview Of The Enforceability Of Forum Selection, Choice Of Law, And Arbitration Clauses And The Doctrine Of Forum Non Conveniens Under The Admiralty Law Of The United States, Donald R. Abaunza

Dalhousie Law Journal

Forum selection, choice of law and arbitration clauses are of great significance in offshore contracts, where disputes may arise in locations far removed from the fora identified in those contracts. In this article, the author provides an examination of the enforceability of these clauses in the United States, together with an explanation of the operation of the doctrine of forum non conveniens in that country.

Reclaiming The "Creatures Of The State": Contracting For Child Custody Decisionmaking In The Best Interests Of The Family, E. Gary Spitko

Washington and Lee Law Review

No abstract provided.

Arbitration And The Goals Of Employment Discrimination Law, Geraldine Szott Moohr

Washington and Lee Law Review

No abstract provided.

Cole V. Burns: Mandatory Arbitration Of Employment-Based Statutory Claims Gains Momentum, Glen R. Fagan

Georgia State University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Let The Buyer Beware: The Seventh Circuit's Approach To Accept-Or-Return Offers, Kristin Johnson Hazelwood

Washington and Lee Law Review

No abstract provided.

Arbitration Clauses In Retainer Agreements: A Lawyer's License To Exploit The Client - Haynes V. Kuder, Mark G. Anderson

Journal of Dispute Resolution

An attorney is in an influential and superior position to the client when negotiating fee contracts. Because of this position, an attorney has the opportunity to exploit his or her client. Consequently, courts view agreements between a lawyer and client rather suspiciously and apply a higher standard to these agreements. Furthermore, a lawyer is subject to ethical rules which require a lawyer to meet certain duties, including the duty to inform the client about matters regarding the representation! Because of the higher obligations imposed on an attorney when dealing with a client, any benefit of the doubt should go to …

Successor Employer's Obligation Under Predecessor's Collective Bargaining Agreement After A Business Reorganization

Fordham Law Review

No abstract provided.

Contracts - Illegality - Effect Of Partial Illegality

Michigan Law Review

It has long been accepted that the illegality of part of a contract does not necessarily make the entire contract unenforceable. However, it is difficult to predict in a given case whether or not the court will hold that recovery may be had upon the lawful part of the contract. It is often said that such recovery will be allowed when the illegal portion of the contract can be clearly separated from the lawful part, but .even when stated in such broad terms - so broad in fact that it is of little help in solving the problem - the …