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Vacatur Of Awards Under The Tennessee Uniform Arbitration Act: Substance, Procedure, And Strategies For Practitioners, Steven Feldman

Steven Feldman

Currently, a lively debate exists in the academic community about the fairness of contractual arbitration clauses. The commentators, however, rarely explore the doctrinal aspects of arbitration as found in the Uniform Arbitration Act, the Revised Uniform Arbitration Act, and the Federal Arbitration Act.

This oversight is regrettable because standard form arbitration clauses are a fixture on the current legal landscape and the odds are high that arbitration in its current form will continue for many years to come.

This article analyzes the Tennessee Uniform Arbitration Act (TUAA). One of the most challenging TUAA topics is the action for vacatur (annulment) …

The History And The Current Development Of Commercial Arbitration In Kazakhstan, Venera Konussova

Venera Konussova

Kazakhstan has recently been taking steps to a new wave of modernization in order to enter 30 the most developed countries of the world. Such ambitious goal requires not only fast and effective development of all spheres of the economy but also significant improvement of legislation. Revision of legislation in the field of arbitration seeks a twofold goal; to create favorable conditions for the civil rights protection, and to improve the investment climate in particular. In order to obtain this goal, the Draft Law on Arbitration largely reconsidered existing legislation by incorporating progressive regulations, which help to overcome long lasting …

The 2012 Saudi Arbitration Law: A Comparative Examination Of The Law And Its Effect On Arbitration In Saudi Arabia, Faris K. Nesheiwat, Ali Khasawneh

Ferris K Nesheiwat

A major concern for any outside investor in the Middle East's largest economy is that arbitration in Saudi Arabia is notoriously complicated, time-consuming, and prone to interference by the local courts, while arbitral awards have often faced difficulties in being enforced. A new Saudi Arbitration Law was issued by Royal Decree No. M/34 on April 16th, 20124 (the “New Law”), which came into force on 9 July 2012. The New Law, which is covered in 58 Articles, is intended to alleviate many of the shortcomings of the Saudi Arbitration Law of 1983 (the “Old Law”) and strengthen investors' confidence in …

L'Avvocato-Arbitro Nell'art. 61 Del Nuovo Codice Deontologico Forense, Valerio Sangiovanni

Valerio Sangiovanni

No abstract provided.

Rescuing Arbitration In The Developing World: The Extraordinary Case Of Georgia, Steven Austermiller

Steven Austermiller

The country of Georgia has a long and interesting history with arbitration. From “telephone justice” to the criminal underworld to legitimacy, Georgian arbitration has survived many iterations. Now, as Georgia begins the EU accession process, it has a new arbitration law that incorporates international norms. This article analyzes the law, explores how arbitration has been implemented thus far, and discusses some of the challenges that remain. Drawing on his U.S. practice experience in arbitration and his work managing legal reform programs in Georgia and other countries, the author recommends some important changes to Georgia’s new arbitration regime. A particular area …

When Peace Is Not The Goal Of A Class Action Settlement, D. Theodore Rave

D. Theodore Rave

On the conventional account, a class action settlement is a vehicle through which the defendant buys peace from the class action lawyer. That single transaction will preclude future litigation by all class members. But peace, at least through preclusion, may not always be the goal. In a recent Fair Credit Reporting Action (FCRA) case, In re Trans Union Privacy Litigation, the parties agreed to a class action settlement that did not preclude individual claims. The 190 million class members surrendered only their rights to participate in a future class or aggregate action; they remained free to march right back into …

“Whimsy Little Contracts” With Unexpected Consequences: An Empirical Analysis Of Consumer Understanding Of Arbitration Agreements, Jeff Sovern

Jeff Sovern

Arbitration clauses have become ubiquitous in consumer contracts. These arbitration clauses require consumers to waive the constitutional right to a civil jury, access to court, and, increasingly, the procedural remedy of class representation. Because those rights cannot be divested without consent, the validity of arbitration agreements rests on the premise of consent. Consumers who do not want to arbitrate or waive their class rights can simply decline to purchase the products or services covered by an arbitration agreement. But the premise of consent is undermined if consumers do not understand the effect on their procedural rights of clicking a box …

Stiffing The Arbitrators: The Problem Of Nonpayment In Commercial Arbitration, Brian Farkas, Neal M. Eiseman

Brian Farkas

Commercial arbitration is a creature of contract; the parties are there because they choose to be, either including an arbitration clause in their written agreement or, after a dispute developed, electing to avoid litigation all together. Arbitration also comes with an up-front cost non-existent in litigation: the arbitrators. Taxpayers pay for their state and federal judges, but the parties themselves pay for their arbitrators. But what happens if one party refuses (or is otherwise unable) to pay the arbitrator? If the arbitrator then refuses to proceed, as is likely, should the dispute revert to court, in derogation of the prior …

A Gateway Question Of Arbitrability: The Ambiguity Of Article Ii Of The New York Convention On The Recognition And Enforcement Of Foreign Arbitral Awards Of 1958, John Ja Burke

John JA Burke

This article addresses, a well established but unsettled, gateway question of International Commercial Arbitration: who, national courts or arbitral tribunals, has primary competence to decide whether parties have entered into an internationally cognizable arbitration agreement. The flip side of this question implicates the doctrine of Kompetenz/Kompetenz. The uncertainty, for both issues, stems from the legal status accorded to Article (2)(3) of the New York Convention on the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards of 1958 [1958 NYC or Convention]. Article (2)(3) obliges Courts of a Contracting State to refer parties to arbitration provided two conditions precedent are met thereby …

Consumer Protection, Hijacking And The Concepcion Cases, Brandy G. Robinson

Brandy G Robinson

Since its ruling, AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion has been the subject of scrutiny among many people in both the business and legal industries. The ruling’s significance denotes class arbitration is no longer a viable option in certain types of litigation matters. Yet, courts continue to defy this ruling. Post-Concepcion cases help in exploring why there is such a discord and confusion on whether class arbitration or any class alternative dispute resolution method are allowable.This article briefly examines AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion and post-Concepcion cases and what remains for consumers and consumer law attorneys after Concepcion. The article also provides …

Enforcing Global Law: International Arbitration And Informal Regulatory Instruments, Katia Fach Gómez

katia fach gómez

This paper starts from the assumption that international arbitration easily fits in with a pluralist conception of global law. Globalization has created new informal instruments of regulation, and arbitration is an efficient tool for enforcing them. First, the paper presents a brief analysis of the most noteworthy international initiatives in the area of transnational legal indicators. It will become clear how these indirect regulatory instruments are contributing to the creation of a new regulatory profile in the area of arbitration. Second, a number of examples will show that both commercial and investment arbitration are receptive to the multiple appearances of …

An Investigation Of The Role Of Wipo Arbitration Rules In Intellectual Property Dispute Resolutions, Hamid Nasseri

Hamid Nasseri

Abstract

WIPO arbitration rules which became imperative in 2002 is one of the most comprehensive and professional rules for the settlement of intellectual property disputes. These arbitration rules are the best in settling intellectual property disputes when we take into consideration the significant issues relevant to the procedure of settling intellectual property disputes such as: the possibility of direct access of individuals to arbitration, the speed of arbitration, professionalism, organizational claims, predictions of the likelihood of appeal to alternative approaches, confidentiality of arbitration as well as the arrangement of protection schemes.

Nullità Di Clausole Compromissorie Negli Arbitrati Sportivi Per Squilibrio Strutturale Tra I Contraenti, Valerio Cosimo Romano

Valerio Cosimo Romano

No abstract provided.

At&T V. Concepcion: The Problem Of A False Majority, Lisa Tripp, Evan R. Hanson

Lisa Tripp

The Supreme Court’s 2011 decision in AT&T v. Concepcion is the first case where the Supreme Court explores the interplay between state law unconscionability doctrine and the vast preemptive power of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). Although it is considered by many to be a landmark decision which has the potential for greatly expanding the already impressive preemptive power of the FAA, something is amiss with Concepcion.

AT&T v. Concepcion is ostensibly a 5-4 majority decision with a concurring opinion. However, the differences in the majority and concurring opinions are so profound that it appears that Justice Thomas actually …

The Arbitration Clause As Super Contract, Richard Frankel

Richard Frankel

It is widely acknowledged that the purpose of the Federal Arbitration Act was to place arbitration clauses on equal footing with other contracts. Nonetheless, federal and state courts have turned arbitration clauses into “super contracts” by creating special interpretive rules for arbitration clauses that do not apply to other contracts. In doing so, they have relied extensively, and incorrectly, on the Supreme Court’s determination that the FAA embodies a federal policy favoring arbitration.

While many scholars have focused attention on the public policy rationales for and against arbitration, few have explored how arbitration clauses should be interpreted. This article fills …

Case Of Interest Regarding The United States Supreme Court Upholding A Contractual Waiver Of Class Arbitration, William P. Huttenbach

William P. Huttenbach

Recent case you might find of interest regarding the United States Supreme Court upholding a contractual waiver of class arbitration. This case involves merchants filing a class action antitrust suit against American Express. See American Express Co. v. Italian Colors Restaurant, 133 S.Ct. 2304 (2013). Respondents are merchants who accepted American Express cards. The contract between parties contained a clause that required all disputes between said parties to be resolved by arbitration and that no claims could be arbitrated on a class action basis. Respondents brought a class action suit against Petitioners for violation of the federal antitrust laws due …

Arbitral Autonomy, Liaquat Ali Khan

Ali Khan

This Article presents concrete proposals to amend the current arbitration law for minimizing court intervention into arbitration proceedings and enforcement of arbitral awards. As a method of dispute resolution, arbitration offers an alternative to litigation. Yet arbitration is frequently interspersed with litigation. As a true alternative, arbitration should be, and can be, autonomous, that is, litigation-free. Arbitral autonomy fails when parties go to court to challenge validity of the arbitration agreement, to obtain emergency relief, or to contest enforceability of the award, among other reasons. To accomplish litigation-free arbitration, first, the need to go to court must be minimized; second, …

Cas - The Court Of Arbitration For Sport, Marios Papaloukas

Marios Papaloukas

This book authored by M. Papaloukas, associate professor of sport law, contains theory and case law of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)

Opting Out Of The Procedural Morass: A Solution To The Class Arbitration Problem, Emanwel J. Turnbull

Emanwel J Turnbull

American class actions are internationally regarded as a procedural form to avoid and widely criticized in the United States. They have been narrowed and restricted by U.S. statutes and case law. Plaintiffs' lawyers in consumer class actions are portrayed as greedy and fraudulent, while businesses are increasingly acting to avoid class actions through mandatory pre-dispute arbitration clauses. Even class arbitration is criticized as leading to a “procedural morass.” This Article proposes that parties and arbitral fora opt out of the American procedural morass (and the attendant long-running disputes about American class actions) by adopting an English procedural rule for aggregation. …

The Alternative Forms Of Dispute Settlement And The Essential Difference Between These And Arbitration, Michael Diathesopoulos

Michael Diathesopoulos

The paper examines the characteristics of some common alternative forms of dispute settlement and their key differences from arbitration regarding their nature and scope. Its purpose is to explore each mechanism's suitability for specific types of disputes.

The End Of Shareholder Litigation? Allowing Shareholders To Customize Enforcement Through Arbitration Provisions In Charters And Bylaws, Paul D. Weitzel

Paul D. Weitzel

Shareholder litigation has been heavily criticized for its inability to compensate harmed shareholders or deter managerial misconduct. While some have suggested abolishing shareholder litigation altogether, this article takes a more moderate approach. I propose allowing shareholders to enforce charter and bylaw provisions that require arbitration of certain disputes. For example, an acquisitive company may require arbitration of merger-related suits, while allowing non-merger suits to proceed in court. Likewise, a company in an industry known for volatile stock prices could require a price drop of three or four standard deviations before the suit could be brought in court, rather than arbitration. …

The End Of Shareholder Litigation? Allowing Shareholders To Customize Enforcement Through Arbitration Provisions In Charters And Bylaws, Paul D. Weitzel

Paul D. Weitzel

Shareholder litigation has been heavily criticized for its inability to compensate harmed shareholders or deter managerial misconduct. While some have suggested abolishing shareholder litigation altogether, this article takes a more moderate approach. I propose allowing shareholders to enforce charter and bylaw provisions that require arbitration of certain disputes. For example, an acquisitive company may require arbitration of merger-related suits, while allowing non-merger suits to proceed in court. Likewise, a company in an industry known for volatile stock prices could require a price drop of three or four standard deviations before the suit could be brought in court, rather than arbitration. …

The More Favorable Regime For Confirming International Arbitral Awards Made In The U.S.: A Choice Within The ‘Overlapping Coverage’ Of Faa Chapters One And Two, Suyash Paliwal

Suyash Paliwal

According to U.S. courts, Chapters One and Two of the Federal Arbitration Act provide “overlapping coverage” over arbitral awards that were made in the U.S. and also fall under the New York Convention. The meaning of “overlapping coverage” under U.S. arbitral law remains unclear, but affects the defeated party’s ability to challenge the conversion of these awards to court judgments and, consequently, the parties’ decision to seat an arbitration in the U.S. According to every Circuit that has addressed the question, when a U.S.-rendered award is domestic, it is subject to summary, challenge-free confirmation under Chapter One if it is …

La Disciplina Dell'arbitrato Consob, Valerio Sangiovanni

Valerio Sangiovanni

No abstract provided.

The Icsid Under Siege, Leon E. Trakman Professor

Leon E Trakman Dean

Intense debate rages over the transparency and efficiency of investor-state arbitration. In contention is whether national courts should displace investment arbitration administered by the International Center for Investment Arbitration (ICSID). How this debate is resolved will significantly impact on the United States, its public interests and its investors. This manuscript scrutinizes this debate and recommends how to resolve it.

México, Su Constitución Y El Arbitraje Internacional: Un Desarrollo Bicentenario, James A. Graham

James A. Graham

En la Montaña Mágica de Mann, Settembrini defiende el arbitraje como el medio idóneo para resolver las disputas internacionales, enfatizando que hay un ius divinum (hoy diríamos una lex mercatoria) que transciende los derechos positivos y permite resolver las controversias más allá de los diversos derechos nacionales. A lo cual, le responde Naphta, que no es posible dejar a tribunales “bourgeois” decidir sobre lo justo como si fueron dioses, o como hubiera dicho Rigaux, “des dieux et des héros”. Tal antagonismo resume la historia del arbitraje en los dos últimos siglos en México. Considerado al inicio de su independencia, como …

A Review Of The Proposed Amendments To Be Made To S 216a Of The Companies Act, Linus Koh

Linus Koh

No abstract provided.

Walking A Tightrope: The Role Of Equitable Discretion In Quantum Determination In Investment Treaty Law, Silke N. Kumpf

Silke Noa Kumpf

My thesis analyzes the manifestation of equitable arbitrator discretion in quantum determination and its role as a tool to balance treaty-based investor rights with extrinsic but competing international and public law obligations of States. I examine, first, scholarly opinions on the subject, second, arbitral practice through a content analysis of all past awards published by the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), which held liable respondent State for expropriation and, third, the results of an online survey I conducted with ICSID arbitrators, the lawyers that plead before them and the scholars that write about the topic in …

Arbitration Agreements Used By Nursing Homes: An Empirical Study And Critique Of At&T Mobility V. Concepcion, Lisa Tripp

Lisa Tripp

Although the health care industry had historically been one of the fields that had not embraced pre-dispute binding arbitration agreements, that reluctance appears to be changing in at least one sector of the health care field. An examination of admission contracts used by North Carolina nursing homes and telephone survey of North Carolina nursing homes revealed that 43 percent of nursing homes now incorporate pre-dispute binding arbitration provisions into their admission contracts. All of the major nursing home chains operating in North Carolina use pre-dispute binding arbitration agreements in at least some of their facilities, while smaller operators use them …

Factors To Consider Before Arbitrating In The Arab Middle East:, Radwa S. Elsaman Ms.

Radwa S Elsaman

This article discusses two significant factors affecting arbitration in the Arab Middle East: the effect of religion on arbitration and the effect of legislative constraints on arbitration. By presenting foreign investors and practitioners with an overview of some of the unique social, legal and religious issues distinctive to arbitration in the Arab Middle East, this article will provide foreign investors and practitioners with examples of factors to consider that can affect arbitration decisions in the Middle East.