Commercial Law Commons^™

Commercial Norms, Commercial Codes, And International Commercial Arbitration, Christopher R. Drahozal

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article examines whether the incorporation of commercial norms into commercial codes is an appropriate law-making strategy. Most commercial codes, including the Uniform Commercial Code, regard common business practices as an important source for courts to consider when resolving contract disputes. Yet some scholars criticize this incorporation strategy, arguing that reliance on commercial norms is often inappropriate and may distort the true nature of the parties' agreement. Reliance on commercial norms does restrict the ability of contracting parties to allocate part of their agreement to extra-legal means of enforcement. Nevertheless, this Article asserts that those costs may be outweighed by …

Corporate Governance In A Global Environment: The Search For The Best Of All Worlds, Timothy L. Fort, Cindy A. Schipani

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article reflects on the various visions of corporate governance. Initially, the Article reviews the contractarian and communitarian theories of the corporation. The communitarian theory views the corporation as a separate entity, with social responsibilities not only to the shareholders but to the firm's other stakeholders and society at large. On the other hand, the contractarian approach considers the firm's shareholders as the primary constituency to whom management is accountable. Voluntary contracting and market forces align the interests of management and shareholders. The Article next analyzes salient features of corporate governance in the United States, Japan, and Germany. The United …

Emerging Leader Of The Tax Avant-Garde, Andrzej J. Burba

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

In 1998, Poland's Minister of Finance Leszek Balcerowicz unveiled a plan to restructure the tax system. His fiat tax proposal promises numerous benefits to individual and corporate taxpayers with significant reduction in tax rates for both groups. The new plan offers to further strengthen Poland's growing economy--a consequence that is especially significant in light of the country's aspiration to join the European Union. It provides a remedy for virtually every ailment plaguing the current tax system and, most importantly, the reform offers to finance itself This Note argues that the plan should be adopted immediately for the following reasons: (1) …

U.S. Supreme Court Subordinates Enforcement Of Regulatory Statutes To Enforcement Of Arbitration Agreements, Christine L. Davitz

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Through a series of cases culminating with Vimar Seguros Y Reaseguros v. M/V Sky Reefer, the U.S. Supreme Court has developed a strong pro-arbitration stance regarding disputes arising out of international commercial contracts. This Note analyzes the Court's reasons for this stance and compares those reasons with the history and purposes of the Federal Arbitration Act and the New York Convention. The author concludes that the Court's reasons are at odds with the FAA and the New York Convention. The Note further articulates the dangers posed to U.S. public policies that are created by allowing arbitration of statutory claims. The …

Reflections On The Economic Future Of Hong Kong, Ted Hagelin

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article assesses the economic future of Hong Kong after reunification with China. After reviewing Hong Kong's economic history, this Article discusses Hong Kong's present economic situation, and both the positive and negative influences on its economic future. The author identifies China's self-interest in Hong Kong's continued economic prosperity as a positive factor for Hong Kong's economy. China's self-interest stems largely from the recognition that Hong Kong's economic failure will impact China's politics, economics, and foreign relations. Negative developments within China, however, could lead to a precipitous downturn in Hong Kong's economy. Negative developments include potential military and political crises, …

The Unconstitutionality Of State And Local Enactments In The United States Restricting Business Ties With Burma (Myanmar), David Schmahmann, James Finch

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

As a punitive measure against the military regime in Burma, state and municipal governments in the United States have adopted laws penalizing firms that conduct business in that nation. This Article analyzes the validity of these statutes and ordinances under various provisions of the U.S. Constitution.

After introducing the nature of this development and the constitutional issues raised, Part II of this Article proceeds to examine the character of the local enactments and the political backdrop which lead to their adoption. In Part II, the Authors analyze four federal constitutional issues surrounding the local legislation: implied preemption by federal legislation, …

The Reintegration Of Hong Kong Into The People's Republic Of China, John H. Henderson

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

On June 30, 1997, the United Kingdom will cede administrative control of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China. Hong Kong achieved great prosperity under British rule, but the affect of China's influence on Hong Kong's future economic success is an issue of much concern as the 1997 transfer of sovereignty nears. This Note analyzes the transfer of sovereignty and what it will mean to Hong Kong's economic future. The author outlines the history of Hong Kong and discusses the British role in creating the prosperous colony. The author then analyzes the Joint Declaration, the document which governs the …

Economic Globalization: The Challenge For Arbitrators, Ranee K.L. Panjabi

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

CHOICE OF LAW IN INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION

By Okezie Chukwumerije

Westport, Connecticut: Quorum Books, 1994. Pp. 219.

Arbitration at the municipal level is becoming more frequently used because it is regarded as a more expeditious process for resolving disputes. In the realm of labor relations, for instance, arbitration is often the dispute resolution method of choice and is incorporated in numerous collective agreements. In an arbitration the two parties usually select an arbitrator and jointly pay the costs of the process. In the collective agreement or contract, the parties stipulate the terms of the procedure that generally bind the arbitrator, …

American Conflicts Scholarship And The New Law Merchant, Friedrich K. Juenger

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Professor Juenger argues that both the unilateralist and the multilateralist schools of thought share a fixation on the idea that law must emanate from the power of a sovereign state. The author points out that such a view of law is a historic; that, in the past, merchants relied on a substantive body of supranational rules that transcended national borders. This Article discusses the contemporary significance of the law merchant for law professors, law students, and practitioners.

The author explains how the practices of contemporary transnational commercial enterprises, as well as the opinions of contemporary scholars , support the idea …

Extraterritorial Application Of Title Vii: The Foreign Compulsion Defense And Principles Of International Comity, Mary C. St. John

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

With an increasing number of United States corporations locating and affiliating overseas and United States citizens seeking employment with multinational corporations, the debate over the extraterritorial application of United States discrimination laws has attracted greater international attention. The 1991 amendment to Title VI1 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin, specifically provides for extraterritorial application of Title Vii. The foreign compulsion defense, however, limits the scope of Title VII's application abroad and raises the issue of whether U.S. corporations can claim this defense when foreign …

The Commercial Real Estate Laws Of The People's Republic Of China And Shenzhen: An Overview, David S. Kerzner

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article surveys the changes in real estate laws that have occurred in China since 1980. It provides a comprehensive and specific overview of the foreign investment process, which should prove particularly useful to United States investors. The Article first provides general background on the evolution of Chinese real estate law, focusing on the granting and subsequent alienation of land use rights, as well as the recent development in the area of large parcels of land. The Article then examines the current state of real estate law in Guangdong Province, specifically in Shenzhen, and explains details such as transfer and …

Book Review: The Law And Regulation Of International Finance, Ian F.G. Baxter

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The Law of International Finance, as its opening states, revolves around "the law and regulation affecting the raising of finance in the international financial markets." Thus, the book is about a very specialized area of finance and law-an area that has come into prominence, or even existence, only during the last two decades. As a solicitor in a large London firm that does substantial work related to financial business in the London international capital markets, Ravi Tennekoon has had considerable practical experience in legal work related to Eurobond issues and transactions and international syndications. London is, of course, the main …

Case Digest, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This CASE DIGEST provides brief analyses of cases that represent current aspects of transnational law. The Digest includes cases that establish legal principles and cases that apply established legal principles to new factual situations. These cases are grouped in topical categories and references are given for further research.

Eastern Europe: Observations And Investment Strategies, Marek Wierzbowski

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

It is my impression that right now an American lawyer has no problem getting acquainted with East European laws concerning foreign investment. There are so many translations now in this country that almost every new law is immediately translated into English. The American lawyer can get to this text at almost the same time as the East European lawyer can get to it.

So it is very easy to get acquainted with legal texts of the most important laws from the point of view of foreign investors, but there are some traps. And it is my impression that when lawyers …

Considering Business Opportunities In The Soviet Union In The 1990s, Richard N. Dean

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The purpose of this Essay has been to provide, in somewhat summary fashion, basic background and guidelines to assist Western companies that are considering commercial transactions in the Soviet Union. It was not intended to be an exhaustive analysis of all factors that may affect the negotiation, completion and implementation of commercial transactions in the Soviet Union. Rather, we have drawn from our experience in assisting our clients over the last three years in the USSR and have attempted to provide an appropriate context for the consideration of potential business opportunities.

In our experience, the most effective perspective to adopt …

Book Review, Richard Gruner

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Large corporations are important, yet enigmatic, participants in world commerce. International corporate behavior is morally and legally significant because of its immense scope and societal impact. That behavior, however, is often so complex as to defy characterization under the simple moral or legal standards applicable to individuals. Furthermore, the ability of traditional moral or legal systems to shape multinational corporate conduct is also unclear given that large corporate bureaucracies lack the motivations and fears normally used to enforce moral or legal accountability. As one frustrated court noted, the problem is that corporations have "no soul to damn, and no body …

The Death Of Ideology In Soviet Foreign Investment Policy, Christopher Osakwe

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article's primary thesis is that the Soviet Government's decision to permit the creation of international joint ventures in the Soviet Union is a major instrument of the policy of perestroika. As such, the stability and profitability of any international commercial joint enterprise in the Soviet Union is inextricably linked with the fate of perestroika. If perestroika succeeds, the Soviet Union will have a market-oriented socialist economy, fully integrated into the world economy. By virtue of this success, Western investors and entrepreneurs will be in a position to make deeper, more profitable, and more lasting inroads into the Soviet economy. …

Private International Law As A Means To Control The Multinational Enterprise, Dimitris Tzouganatos

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article explores the different approaches taken by the academic and judicial communities of Germany and the United States in their respective attempts to derive the optimal legal policy to deal with the multinational enterprise phenomenon. It attempts to assess the success of the Private International Law method as applied in most European countries by examining whether its criteria are operational and a reflection of economic reality. The Article also analyzes whether application of such criteria ensures the enforcement of the policies of the forum. It concludes by questioning whether the Private International Law approach is a viable alternative to …

Merger And Acquisition Activities In Japan: The Present And The Future, Mitsuru Misawa

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Merger and acquisition are expected to generate increasing interest in industrial circles throughout Japan. Those who argue in favor of mergers and acquisitions emphasize that these activities will help rejuvenate the economy of Japan through the revitalization of corporate management and the efficient reallocation of resources. Some commentators are strongly in favor of takeover bids and argue that aggressive takeover bids will lead to the revitalization of the individual corporations targeted for acquisition through the arousal of top officials of the targets.

Critics charge, on the other hand, that only raiders, lawyers and speculators find takeover bids profitable. Some complain …

Books Received, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Books Received

The Utilization of Nuclear Energy and International Law By Vanda Lamm Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey: Humanities Press International, Inc. 1984 Pp. 151. $29.95

War, Foreign Affairs, and Constitutional Power By Henry Bartholomew Cox Cambridge, Massachusetts: Ballinger,1984. Pp. xx, 331 $35.00

Guidelines For International Election Observing Prepared by Larry Garber Washington, D.C.: The International Human Rights Law Group, 1984. Pp. iii, 90. $7.95

International Codes and Multinational Business: Setting Guidelines for International Business Operations By John M. Kline Westport, Connecticut: Qurom Books, 1985Pp. vi, 184. $35.00

Public Enterprises in Mixed Economies: Some Macroeconomic Aspects By Robert H. Floyd, Clive …

Perspectives On Foreign Investment In The Southeastern United States: An Introduction, Harold V. Morgan, Jr.

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

International practice in the Southeast is primarily divided between representation of industrial and business investors and representation of real estate investors. In both cases, the legal skills required are those necessary to represent domestic clients engaged in the same activities, with an overlay of specialized expertise. For example, closing a real estate purchase on behalf of a foreign purchaser involves the same elements of real estate practice as any domestic purchase and sale. If the purchaser is foreign, however, the lawyer must consider the applicability of tax treaties, Internal Revenue Code provisions governing repatriation of real estate income, various state …

An Evaluation Of Current Trends In Foreign Direct Investment In The Southeast United States, Dr. Cedric L. Suzman, J. Alexander Heslin

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Direct investment in the United States by foreigners exceeded direct investment abroad by Americans for the first time in 1981. This development continued in subsequent years. The inflow of capital has clearly resulted in economic growth and added employment. Moreover, the inflow of foreign investment capital has supplemented comparatively low levels of United States savings" and helped increase investment in new plant and equipment--essential for future productivity growth.

The inflow can be expected to continue at high rates as long as the United States economy continues to grow. A real crisis of confidence in the dollar may prove to be …

Attribution Of A Multinational Corporation's Net Income: The Position Of Unitary States Regarding Combined Reporting, William D. Dexter

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

A complex and controversial aspect of state taxation of business income involves the attribution of a multinational corporation's (MNC's) net income. This Article examines the nature and scope of the controversy that stems from the conflicting views of states that promote a unitary taxation system, and MNCs as well as the Department of Treasury (Treasury) that oppose this position. Section IV illustrates why the unitary business principle is currently the only viable, fair, and feasible method available to the states for the geographical assignment of an MNC's net income. Section V analyzes the MNCs' arguments both against worldwide combined reporting …

Irish Tax Law And The Foreign Investor, Conor Crowley, Paul Mcgowan

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

For over twenty-five years, successive Irish Governments have actively sought and encouraged foreign investment in Ireland. With the exception of the insurance industry, Irish statutes grant foreigners the same rights as citizens of Ireland to establish whatever type of business they desire. A minimum native Irish interest in any business is required only for the issue or transfer of shares to, or the establishment of, a business branch operation by nonresidents. Although these transactions require Exchange Control approval, that approval is usually a formality for investments expected to bring an economic benefit to Ireland.

State Taxation Of Foreign Source Income Through Worldwide Combined Reporting, Thomas C. Pearson

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The primary alternative to worldwide combined reporting is the method used by the United States Government--the arm's length method of taxing foreign source income. Following the explanation of the arm's length method, this Note will outline briefly the due process and commerce clause limitations on a state's jurisdiction to tax and will describe the methods states have chosen to apportion the business income of a unitary business in order to comply with the commerce clause. The impact of worldwide combined reporting depends upon the apportionment formula adopted by the state and the state's definition of the terms "unitary business" and …

Letters Of Credit In East-West Trade: Soviet Reception Of Capitalist Custom, George M. Armstrong, Jr.

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article examines the Soviet system for financing the purchase and sale of goods by a Soviet enterprise from a Western merchant. This Article is organized chronologically, commencing with the initial contact between a Western merchant and an FTO, the merchant's liaison with Soviet industrial enterprises.

The Article examines the role of the FTO in mediating relations between Soviet enterprises and their Western contracting partners. It then examines the procedures employed by the Bank for Foreign Trade to establish the credit, to handle the documentary transaction, and to determine whether to honor the seller's demand for payment. The Article finally …

Special Project -- Legal Issues Arising From The Mexican Economic Crisis, Robert L. Morgan --, J. Robert Paulson, Jr., Fred A. Frost, Terrence L. Dugan, Cynthia L. Wells, G. Wilson Horde, Iii, Judith B. Anderson

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The economic crisis in Mexico, which profoundly altered the financial and political course of that nation, has also had a significant impact on persons and corporations having business ties to Mexico. Foreign investors and businesses now are required to follow new Mexican rules that often differ dramatically from those previously in effect. The impact of the crisis has not been confined to changes in Mexican law. A substantial number of issues have arisen that will have significant bearing on United States and international law.

The Special Project discusses the changes in the legal environment following the crisis, with its focus …

The European Community, The United States, And Ireland: An Intermesh Of Statutory Provisions, Finbarr Murphy

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article will outline the effects that Ireland's membership in the European Community has had on direct investment by United States corporations in Ireland. The Article begins with a survey of the diplomatic, commercial, and economic links between the United States and Ireland, and then examines the relationship between the United States and the European Community. The third section reviews the legal and constitutional aspects of Irish membership in the European Community and outlines the new legal and economic order of which Ireland has become a member. Last, the Article examines the effect that Ireland's membership in the European Community …

Book Review: The Winding-Up Of Insolvent Companies In England And France, Keith M. Lundin

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Livadas provides an especially adept analysis and comparison of the treatment of employees of insolvent companies in the two countries. The author convincingly demonstrates that a French "liquidation des biens" protects employee wages, benefits, and claims more extensively than an English winding-up proceeding. The French requirement of compulsory insurance to protect the wages of employees and the special privilege afforded employees against the immovable assets of a French company are without analogy in English winding-up law. Livadas punctuates the chapters on the liabilities of officers and directors, which are generally more strict in France than in England, and the priorities …

Recent Decisions, Jonathan F. Mack, Jesse T. Wilkins, Joseph A. Dijulio

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Constitutional Law--Grandfather Clause in International Emergency Economic Powers Act Permits the President to Ban Travel to Cuba without Declaring an Emergency Regan v. Wald, 104 S. Ct. 3026 (1984)

Jurisdiction--Bank may not Assert Act of State Doctrine as Defense in Action on Certificate of Deposit Garcia v. Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., 735 F.2d 645 (2d Cir. 1984).

Jurisdiction--Commercial Activity as Applied to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and the Act of State Doctrine Braka v. Bancomer, S.A., 589 F. Supp. 1465 (S.D.N.Y. 1984)