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International Commercial Arbitration Research Guide

Introduction

International commercial arbitration is a means of resolving disputes arising under international commercial agreements. This guide introduces researchers to the primary sources for international commercial arbitration research - treaties, arbitral awards, court decisions and arbitration rules. Also included are secondary sources crucial to thorough research - treatises, periodical literature, current awareness tools and web links.

Two databases that are often starting points for international commercial arbitration research are Kluwer Arbitration and TDM Transnational Dispute Management. Both of these databases are only available to the GULC community.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact the Wolff Library reference desk at 202-662-4195 or by email: intlref@law.georgetown.edu. You may also submit your question via this online form.

Treaties and International Agreements

For more help researching treaties, see the Treaty Research Guide.

Arbitral Awards and Court Decisions

A major problem in locating awards and decisions is the fact that many awards are not published, due to confidentiality reasons. When they are published, they are often anonymous or permission from the parties must be obtained. Below are several key sources for locating the text of arbitral awards and court decisions.

  • Case Law on UNCITRAL Texts (CLOUT)
    CLOUT contains selected abstracts of court decisions and arbitral awards relating to the Conventions and Model Laws that have emanated from the work of UNCITRAL (U.N. Commission on International Trade Law). This includes case law relating to the CISG (U.N. Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods). See also this Index of CLOUT case abstracts, indexing cases which relate to the Model Arbitration Law.
  • CISG Database (Pace Law School)
    This is another source for CISG jurisprudence. It also includes the full text of the CISG treaty.
  • ICSID Cases
    Contains some full-text decisions, otherwise lists of concluded and pending cases.
  • ICSID Reports INTL K3834.A495 I56
  • ICSID Review INTL K9.C55
  • International Arbitration Report INTL KZ200.I5
    Monthly publication containing commentary and notes about recent cases with selected texts of arbitration awards and judicial decisions. Also available in Westlaw [MINTARBR database] and Lexis [Legal > Area of Law - By Topic > Alternative Dispute Resolution > Legal News > International Arbitration: Mealey's Litigation Report]
  • Reports of International Arbitral Awards INTL KZ200.A25
  • Lloyd's Arbitration Reports INTL K2400.A495 L569
    The library has volumes for the years 1988-1992.
  • Collection of ICC Arbitral Awards: 1974-1985; 1986-1990; 1991-1995; 1996-2000 INTL KZ2400.A495 C65 Also available in Westlaw, 1975- present. [ICC-AWARDS database].
  • Arbitral Awards of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration INTL K2400.A54
  • Iran-United States Claims Tribunal Reports INTL KZ238.I7 I73
    These reports are also available on Westlaw, starting with 1981. [INT-IRAN database].
  • World Trade and Arbitration Materials INTL K2400.A715
    This source reprints selective decisions. Also available online through Kluwer Law International Journals (GULC only)
  • Yearbook: Commercial Arbitration INTL K2400.A53 Y4
    National reports and extracts of decisions relating to the New York Convention.

Arbitration Rules

Selected Treatises

There are many books and other print materials on international arbitration. The title listed below are just a sampling of the many sources available. Use keyword searching in the library catalog to locate additional materials.

Selected Electronic Sources

Databases

  • Kluwer Arbitration Database - GULC only
    This database contains the major international agreements, rules, and institutional information available in current international arbitration. It includes national laws, national rules, case law of awards, and even some submissions or interim orders under various arbitral regimes.
  • TDM Transnational Dispute Management - GULC only
    TDM focuses on recent developments in the area of arbitration and dispute management. It offers a journal, newsletter, legal and regulatory materials, bibliography, and a newsgroup discussion group on oil/gas/energy investment disputes.

General Arbitration Web Sites

  • Juris International, Arbitration and Mediation Centres
    This site includes information on commercial arbitration, mediation, conciliation, expertise centers, and other alternative dispute resolution centers or services, including the full text of their rules and model clauses.
  • T.M.C. Asser Institute, International Commercial Arbitration
    You will find major treaties and conventions, arbitration rules and other links.
  • WWW Virtual Library - Arbitration Database
    A thoughtful organization of international arbitration links available on the web. Great for browsing.
  • Commercial Arbitration - OAS Foreign Trade Information System
    Materials covered include the Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Centre for the Americas, the Inter-American Commercial Arbitration Commission, ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL and WIPO.

Arbitral Bodies and Institutions

Below is a list of key international arbitral institutions. Jean Wenger's LLRX guide on international commercial arbitration has a good list of national institutions.

Current Awareness

In addition to keeping you up-to-date with international commercial arbitration, current awareness tools are helpful for identifying paper topics.

  • TDM Transnational Dispute Management - GULC only
    TDM focuses on recent developments in the area of arbitration and dispute management. The newsletter and journal are helpful for current awareness.
  • European Arbitration
    EA is a free electronic newsletter providing information on current events in the arbitration field. There is a search mechanism for back issues.
  • International Arbitration Report INTL KZ200.I5
  • World Arbitration & Mediation Report INTL K2400.A13 A7
    The Resources section often contains new documents and some foreign law translations.

Periodical Literature

Want to find out if you can get electronic access to a journal article through the library? Check the E-Journal Finder! From the library homepage, it's the first link under Quick Links. The E-Journal Finder even tells you if a journal is available on Lexis and Westlaw. To use the E-Journal Finder, type in the name of the journal, and see what sources will give you full-text electronic access. If we don't have the journal electronically, check the library catalog for a print version or request the article through interlibrary loan.

Indexes

Periodical literature is a good way to obtain background information, locate the text of a foreign law, a citation, or locate information about a subject. To obtain the best results, use periodical indexes to locate relevant citations.

Below are listed a few of the most commonly used journal indexes. See our journal indexes page for a complete list. If you are new to using indexes to find articles, have a look at these two guides: Locating Journal Articles: Foreign & International and Using Articles for Legal and Non-Legal Research.

Full text of articles are available in the Cambridge, Oxford and Kluwer databases listed below.

Selected Specialized Journals

Bibliographies and Other Research Guides

Bibliographies

Bibliographies do some of your research for you! They're usually a list of articles and books on a specific topic. They can save you a lot of time in your research.

Other Research Guides

Want more information about international commercial arbitration? These other research guides may help.


Revised May 2007 (aeb)

Page last saved 26-Aug-2008