Lex Mercatoria and UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contract

About the Speaker:

Professor Sir Roy Goode, CBE, QC, LL B 1954, LL D (Lond) 1976, DCL (Oxon) 2006, FBA, 1988, FRSA 1990, Barrister (IT) 1988, QC 1990, Hon Bencher, Inner Temple 1992- , (Solr 1955-88); Hon. DSc Econ (Lond) 1996; Hon.LLD (University of East Anglia) 2003; Hon LLD

In 1980, Sir Roy Goode decided to create an environment where practising commercial lawyers and those from academia could meet and exchange ideas. His vision was that by bringing together these different perspectives, we would create better outcomes. And so the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) was born.

Sir Roy Goode is also a professor of Transnational Commercial Law and Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford. He was a member of Governing Council of International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) 1988-2003 and Hon Member 2003, and was in the Member Study Group for preparation of UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts (phase 3). He is also the author of Goode on Commercial Law and Text, Cases and Materials on Transnational Commercial Law.

About the Lecture:

Lex mercatoria evolved from system of customs and practice, which has been developed primarily by the international business community itself based on custom, industry practice, and general principles of law that are applied in international commercial disputes. On the other hand, the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts (UPICC) constitutes a general code for international commercial contract, which has no binding effect on the states. Some academics have been debating about whether the UNIDROIT principle can be described as ‘lex mercatoria’.

This lecture provides students with an understanding of the sources and harmonisation of international commercial law. It will also examine the relationship between the UNIDROIT principle and lex mercatoria.

Programme

17:30 - 18:00 Registration

18:00 - 19:15 Lecture and Q&A

19:15 - 20:00 Networking and drinks