International Commercial Arbitration

Module description

International arbitration is an alternative method of dispute resolution. Instead of resorting to national courts, parties present their conflicts before a panel of arbitrators, who render a final and binding award on the matter. The module “International Commercial Arbitration” is designed to prepare students for their future career as counsels and/or arbitrators. It covers the theory and practice of international arbitration “from cradle to grave,” including sessions on drafting arbitration and submission agreements, the conduct of the very arbitral proceedings, and the enforcement of final arbitral awards. Elements of private international law and international commercial litigation too will be explored. The class is intended to be international in focus, with examples from common law, civil law, and mixed legal systems. Accordingly, materials will be drawn from many jurisdictions, thus amplifying the nature of arbitration as a transnational regime of dispute resolution. 

Assessment details

Coursework (100%)

Educational aims & objectives

• To acquaint student with the basic principles of the law and practice of commercial arbitration in England
• To encourage the assimilation of legal principles by pre-preparation of materials and group discussions
• To introduce students to the adversarial procedures associated with commercial arbitration
• To test students' competence by written examination

Teaching pattern

Weekly 2-hour seminars

Suggested reading list

All readings will be posted on KEATS at the start of the year

Module description disclaimer

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Please note that the module descriptions above are related to the current academic year and are subject to change.