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Professor Trevor Hartley

This course is available on the LLM (extended part-time), LLM (full-time) and University of Pennsylvania Law School LLM Visiting Students. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

This course has a limited number of places and we cannot guarantee all students will get a place.

Knowledge of conflict of laws (private international law) would be useful but is not essential. Good general understanding of commercial law is essential. Non-LLM students must have a full law degree (a degree which fulfils the degree requirement for becoming a lawyer in your country).

The following topics will be studied from the point of view of European Union law, English (common and statute) law, Canadian law and US law: 1) Principles and theories of choice of law; 2) Proof and application of foreign law; 3) Contracts: applicable law; 4) The international reach of legislation for the regulation of business and the protection of consumers and employees; 5) The private international law aspects of boycotts and embargoes; 6) Exchange controls; 7) Currency problems in international contracts; 8) The international aspects of property transactions; 9) The recognition of foreign expropriations and other governmental acts affecting property (including financial assets).

This course will have two hours of teaching content each week in Michaelmas Term, either in the form of a two hour seminar or an online lecture and one hour class. There will be a Reading Week in Week 6 of Michaelmas Term.

All students are expected to produce one 2,000 word formative essay during the course.

Core textbook: Trevor C Hartley, International Commercial Litigation (Cambridge University Press, 3rd edn, 2020) (selected chapters). Further reading: Dicey, Morris & Collins, The Conflict of Laws (Sweet and Maxwell, London, 15th edn, 2012 by Sir Lawrence Collins with specialist editors); Plender (Richard) and Wilderspin (Michael), The European Private International Law of Obligations (Sweet & Maxwell, London, 4th edn, 2015)

Exam (100%, duration: 2 hours, reading time: 15 minutes) in the summer exam period.