Professor Michael Bridge, NAB 6.21 and Dr. Jan Kleinheisterkamp, NAB 7.34

LLM only

LL4K6 International Uniform Sales Law or equivalent course in previous studies.

The course treats what can be called the general part of transnational contract law, i.e. the general principles of law which are of relevance in any kind of international contract, be it sale, construction, shipping, financing, or joint venture. At present, such contracts are governed either by uniform rules of international conventions or by the national laws applicable by virtue of conflict of law rules. The course puts the existing national and international solutions in a comparative perspective so as to work with the sources of such generally accepted principles. Where there are divergences between existing solutions, the course focuses on the elaboration of new efficient solutions that are internationally acceptable and have the potential of becoming general principles in the future. For these purposes, special attention is given to the UNIDROIT Principles on International Commercial Contracts and the European Principles of Contract Law.

10 x 2 hour seminars in the LT. Two revision sessions.

One essay of 2,500 words.

S. Vogenauer & J. Kleinheisterkamp, Commentary on the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts (OUP 2009); H. Kötz, European Contract Law (OUP 1997); H. Beale et al., Ius Commune Casebook on the Common Law of Europe: Cases Materials and Text on Contract Law (OUP 2002); J. Gordley & A. von Mehren, An Introduction to the Comparative Study of Private Law: Readings, Cases, Materials (CUP 2006); K. Zweigert & H. Kötz, An Introduction to Comparative Law (3rd edn, OUP 1998).

One two-hour exam in the ST (100%)