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2005

International law

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

Articles 1 - 6 of 6

Full-Text Articles in Law

The Alien Tort Claims Act: Temporary Stopgap Measure Or Permanent Remedy, Borchien Lai Jan 2005

The Alien Tort Claims Act: Temporary Stopgap Measure Or Permanent Remedy, Borchien Lai

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

As the world has become smaller through technological advances in travel and communication, the international marketplace has grown larger. The United Nations ("U.N.") estimates that the number of multinational corporations tripled between 1988 and 1997 to 60,000. As these corporations increase their investments abroad, they also face proportionately increasing pressure from investors to run successful operations and increase profits. The result of this dynamic is well-documented. Multinational corporations invest heavily in underdeveloped countries where natural resources are abundant and labor is cheap. To facilitate operations in the country, the corporations must establish a rapport with the host governments-and often, in …


Bilateral Investment Treaties And The Possibility Of A Multilateral Framework On Investment At The Wto: Are Poor Economies Caught In Between, Victor Mosoti Jan 2005

Bilateral Investment Treaties And The Possibility Of A Multilateral Framework On Investment At The Wto: Are Poor Economies Caught In Between, Victor Mosoti

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

The increased Foreign Direct Investment ("FDI") flows in the past few years have strengthened the belief among many developing countries, especially African countries, that such FDI flows could help in reducing the resource, technology and foreign exchange gaps that constrain their economic development. As a result, many developing countries have beendiligently working to attract foreign investment, for which these countries give some of the highest returns; in the process, these countries make concessions that they would have found unthinkable in the past, when autarchic economic policies were prevalent. For example, due to the liberalization of capital accounts, a foreign investor …


Global Diseases, Global Patents And Differential Treatment In Wto Law: Criteria For Suspending Patent Obligations In Developing Countries, Bradly Condon, Tapen Sinha Jan 2005

Global Diseases, Global Patents And Differential Treatment In Wto Law: Criteria For Suspending Patent Obligations In Developing Countries, Bradly Condon, Tapen Sinha

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

Special and differential treatment of members is a controversial subject at the World Trade Organization ("WTO") and nowhere is the debate more pronounced than in the context of life-saving medicines and patent protection. However, concerns have been raised in WTO negotiations regarding how to ensure that special and differential treatment targets developing countries' trade, financial and development needs, without prejudicing the rights of other WTO members. In the fall of 2003, the WTO adopted a decision to amend the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights ("TRIPS") in order to enhance access to essential medicines in developing countries. In …


Contractual Liability Of Suppliers Of Defective Software: A Comparison Of The Law Of The United Kingdom And United States, Stephen E. Blythe Jan 2005

Contractual Liability Of Suppliers Of Defective Software: A Comparison Of The Law Of The United Kingdom And United States, Stephen E. Blythe

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

The common law of contracts has its roots in medieval England. Traditional contract law, evolved from the age of feudalism, focused on "hard copy" documents and their authentication. Today, we frequently find ourselves entering into virtual, digital contracts. Instead of signing the written document with a seal, we merely type in our name on the computer screen and click on "I accept." Should contract law be changed to accommodate the digital nature of the modem contract and, if so, to what extent should it be changed? A traditionalist may contend that there is no need to completely overhaul contract law …


The Legal Landscape Of The International Art Market After Republic Of Austria V. Altmann, Sue Choi Jan 2005

The Legal Landscape Of The International Art Market After Republic Of Austria V. Altmann, Sue Choi

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

In this note, I will show how Republic of Austria v. Altmann, while seemingly advancing the reparation of Nazi-looted art claims, undermines the stability of the international art market and the ultimate ability of future claimants to successfully recover their artwork due to inconsistent application of state and federal statutes. Part I will summarize the recent Supreme Court decision of Republic of Austria v. Altmann and its claim against a foreign country for the return of Nazi-looted art. Part II will examine what current legal protections exist to buffer the threat of litigation over Nazi-looted artwork that is on loan …


Cross-Border Securitized Transactions: The Missing Link In Establishing A Viable Chinese Securitization Market, Nicholas J. Faleris Jan 2005

Cross-Border Securitized Transactions: The Missing Link In Establishing A Viable Chinese Securitization Market, Nicholas J. Faleris

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

This article proposes that asset-backed securitization in China could be jump-started by first focusing on cross-border (sometimes called transnational) securitization, and by establishing a dependable group of regional investors. Cross-border securitization transactions would enable China to experiment with various packaging of state-owned securities on a trial basis through a transaction-by-transaction process. Thus far, the focus has been specifically on reforming the legal infrastructure so that China eventually would be able to attract investors and capitalize on an emerging market. Rather than attempting to both build an infrastructure and attract asset-backed securitization investors with large, sweeping changes, the market would be …