Guide to Researching International Arbitration at the Washington College of Law

Researching international arbitration law involves the use of both online and print sources. While many of the arbitral decisions and some commentary may be found online, the vast majority of the commentary and some decisions are still available only in print. The researcher would be wise to search for materials in all formats to ensure that she is adequately covering the subject matter.

I. Electronic Sources

A. Research Guides

1. International Commercial Arbitration 

Located on the American Society of International Law’s web site this guide to electronic resources in the this area is comprehensive and complete. Links are provided to the UNCITRAL web site, the ICC, the ICA, PCA as well as other international and regional institutions. Be aware that this is a research guide limited to electronic sources and does not include references to print resources.

2. International Commercial Arbitration: Locating the Resources 

Located on the Law Library Resource Xchange, a site that provides current awareness materials on legal technology and research issues, these are two of a number of foreign and international law research guides. The first was last updated in May, 2004 while the second was updated in June of that year. The first guide includes reference to print as well as electronic sources and, as such, is more useful. Bear in mind that neither has been updated since 2004 and much material has been published since that time.

3. Germain’s Transnational Law Research A Guide for Attorneys

An updated looseleaf treatise Germain’s guide includes a chapter on “Arbitration (International Commercial Arbitration).” Germain considers resources in all formats. Shelved in the Reserve section of the library at K 85 .G47 199.

B. Databases

1. KluwerArbitration

A subscription database from the legal publisher Kluwer, this source provides access to primary and secondary material in this field. KluwerArbitration is the best database covering this topic. Aside from a voluminous database of primary materials, domestic statutes, treaties and arbitration decisions, the database contains a great deal of commentary, including articles from journals and excerpts from treatises. To reach this database from the Pence law library homepage:

a. Click on “A-Z list” (left side of the homepage);

b. Click on “K” and choose “KluwerArbitration;”

2. ICC Dispute Resolution Library

This is an online service provided by the ICC Court of International Arbitration, which contains more than 1000 documents from its publications. www.iccdrl.com. To get this database from the Pence Library home page:

a. Click on Information Resources A to Z

b. Scroll down and click on ICC Dispute Resolution Library

3. Oxford Reports on International Law: International Investment Claims

A subscription database from Oxford University whose purpose is to cover case law from international courts and dispute settlement bodies as well as cases from domestic courts. Currently the database contains over 400 decisions. To get to this database from the Pence Law Library home page:

a. Do a title search on the library catalog: Oxford Reports on International Law
b. Choose the second record and click on the link.

3. Transnational Dispute Management (TDM)
TDM is a combination of newsletter, review-journal, internet service and primary materials database which goes across disciplines - law, psychology-psychoanalysis, international business management, economics, arbitration, WTO, international investment law, and across the various areas of "dispute management" - rather than just quasi-judicial conventional "resolution" of disputes in litigation. A username and password is available to WCL faculty and students. For more information please send an email to arbitration@wcl.american.edu

II. Print Sources

Arbitration material is generally classified in two call number ranges, K2400 (international commercial arbitration); KF9085 (international arbitration in the United States). Material may be located in the library reserve collection, (first floor behind the circulation/reference desk); or in the call number collection on the second floor of the library. Location of library materials may be determined by using the library catalog available here. A good way to locate material in the library is to perform a keyword search on Leagle, the library catalog. One good search in this area is: arbitration award international which will result in almost 200 hits.

Center on International Commercial Arbitration Publications

AU Law Review

International Arbitration Brief

Major Arbitration Law Journals

The American Review of International Arbitration

Available electronically on Lexis and Westlaw

Arbitration International

Available electronically from Kluwer Law International (2000-2006).

International Arbitration Law Review

Only available in print.

Journal of International Arbitration

Available electronically from Kluwer Law International (2000-2006).

The Journal of World Investment & Trade

Only available in print.

World Trade and Arbitration Materials

Available electronically from Kluwer Law International (2000-2006).

Yearbook: Commercial Arbitration

Only available in print.

Arbitration: The Journal of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Journal (Vol. 63, no. 3- , August 1997- ; London : Chartered Institute of Arbitrators)

The Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Law Journal (Pt. 1- , 1992- ; Colchester, Essex : Lloyd's of London Press)

Dispute Resolution Journal (Vol. 48, no. 4 (Dec. 1993)- ; New York, N.Y. : The American Arbitration Association, c1993- ) (earlier title: Arbitration journal). Quarterly.

Emory International Law Review (Vol. 4, no. 1 (spring 1990)- ; Atlanta, Ga. : Emory University School of Law, c1990-

European Arbitration Bulletin (No. 1, May 1990 - ; Paris, France: ICC International Court of Arbitration).

ICC International Court of Arbitration Bulletin (Vol. 1, no. 1, June 1990- ; Paris, France : International Court of Arbitration). Semi-annual. xxK2400.A15I58

ICSID Review: Foreign Investment Law Journal (Vol. 1, no. 1 (spring 1986)- ; Washington, D.C. : International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes ; Baltimore, MD : Johns Hopkins University Press [distributor], c1986- ). Semi-annual. KA1.I18

Lloyd's Arbitration Reports (1988-1992; London : Lloyd's of London Press (LLP) Ltd). 5v. Was quarterly.

Mealey's International Arbitration Report (Vol. 1, issue #1, Jan. 1986- ; Wayne, PA. : Mealey Publications). Monthly.

Mealey's International Arbitration Quarterly Law Review

World Arbitration and Mediation Report (Vol. 1, no. 1, May 1990- ; London: BNA International Inc.; now published by Juris Publishing, Inc)

Major Treatises

Martin Domke, Domke on Commercial Arbitration (The Law and Practice of Commercial Arbitration) KF9085.D6 2003

Matti Kurkela, Hannes Snellman, Due Process in International Commercial Arbitration INTL K2400.K87 2005

Peter Binder, International Commercial Arbitration and Conciliation in UNCITRAL Model Law Jurisdictions (2nd edition) INTL K2400. B56 2010

H. Smit, V. Pechota, International Commercial Arbitration and the Courts (4th edition) INTL K2400.I588 2004

Alan Redfern, Martin Hunter, Law and Practice of International Commercial Arbitration (4th edition) INTL K2400.R43 2004

Gary B. Born, International Arbitration and Forum Selection Agreements: Planning, Drafting and Enforcing (The Hague; Boston: Kluwer Law International, 1999). B67 1999

Gary B. Born, International Commercial Arbitration: Commentary and Materials (2d ed., Ardsley, NY: Transnational Publishers, 2001). 1200p. ISBN 1-57105-174-0.

Gary B. Born, International Commercial Arbitration in the United States: Commentary & Materials (Deventer; Boston: Kluwer Law and Taxation Publishers, 1994). KF9085.A7B670 1994.

Jack J. Coe, Jr., International Commercial Arbitration: American Principles and Practice in a Global Context (Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Transnational Publishers, Inc., 1997). 968p. WLaw53077

John Fellas, Transatlantic Commercial Litigation and Arbitration (Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications, Inc., 2000). 350p. ISBN 0379214237.

Fouchard Gaillard Goldman on International Arbitration (Emmanuel Gaillard & John Savage eds., The Hague; Boston: Kluwer Law International, 1999). 1320p. ISBN 90-411-1025-9. xxK2400.F68 1999 Law.

International Commercial Arbitration (Eric E. Bergsten ed., Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications). 5v. looseleaf. 2009

International Commercial Arbitration: An International Practitioners' Workshop Series Special Edition (Berta Esperanza Hernandez-Truyol ed., Chicago: American Bar Association, Section of International Law and Practice, 1997).

Pieter Sanders, International Handbook on Commercial Arbitration K2400 I5940 1984

Julian D.M. Lew, Loukas A. Mistelis, & Stefan M. Kröll, Comparative International Commercial Arbitration (The Hague ; New York : Kluwer Law International, c2003). 953p. xxK2400.L493 2003.

Thomas H. Oehmke, International Arbitration (Rochester, NY: Lawyers Cooperative Pub., 1990 & Suppl. 1994). 1012p. xxK2400.O380 1990

Practitioner's Handbook on International Arbitration (Frank-Bernd Weigand ed., C.H. Beck; DJ~F, 2002). 1316p. ISBN 3-406-47109-9.

The Practitioner's Handbook on International Arbitration and Mediation (Rufus V. Rhoades, Daniel M. Kolkey, & Richard Chernick eds., Huntington, NY] : Juris Publishing, 2002- ). 1v. looseleaf. ISBN 1929446152.

W. Michael Reisman, W. Laurence Craig, William Park, & Jan Paulsson, International Commercial Arbitration: Cases, Materials and Notes on the Resolution of International Business Disputes (Westbury, NY: Foundation Press, Inc., 1997)(University Casebook Series)(plus separately-published 804-page Documentary Supplement). 1346p. xxK2400.I584 1997

Tibor Várady, John J. Barceló III, & Arthur T. von Mehren, International Commercial Arbitration: A Transnational Perspective (2d ed., St. Paul, Minnesota: Thomson/West, 2003)(American Casebook Series) K2400.A58V373 2003. Includes Document Supplement.

The World Arbitration Reporter (Hans Smit & Vratislav Pechota eds., Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law, Columbia University; Stoneham, MA: Butterworth Legal Publishers, 1986- ; now published by Juris Publishing, Inc.) (multi-volume looseleaf). xxK2400.W670 1986

III. Major Databases

IV. Internet Resources

Research Guides:

International Commercial Arbitration: Locating the Resources by Jean Wenger

International Commercial Arbitration: Resources in Print and Electronic Format by Lyonette Louis-Jacques.

Other Internet Resources:

King & Spaulding has mounted materials from an October 2000 conference on ICA, including a detailed chart comparing the ICSID, UNCITRAL, AAA, LCIA, and ICC Rules.