Villanova Law Review Norman J. Shachoy Symposium:
Assessing the CISG and Other International Endeavors to
Unify International Contract Law

Friday, January 18, 2013
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

On January 18, 2013, the Villanova Law Review will be holding a symposium on "Assessing the CISG and Other International Endeavors to Unify International Contract Law: Has the Time Come for a New Global Initiative to Harmonize and Unify International Trade?" This topic is both timely and important as the United Nations is considering a proposal to study whether it should undertake the drafting a new convention on international sales law. The symposium will feature the leading authorities on the subject of international sales law from across the globe, including the Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), The Honorable Renaud Sorieul.

This program has been approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board for 6 substantive credits.

Participants: 
 

• Yesim Atamer, Professor of Law, Istanbul Bilgi University; Vice Director, European Union Institute , Istanbul Bilgi University
• Michael Bridge, Cassel Professor of Commercial Law, London School of Economics
• Sieg Eiselen, Professor of Private Law, University of South Africa
• Harry Flechtner, Professor of International and Domestic Commercial Law, University of Pittsburgh School of Law
• Alejandro Garro, Adjunct Professor of Law and Senior Research Scholar, Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law, Columbia University School of Law
• John Y. Gotanda, Dean and Professor, Villanova University School of Law
• Keith Loken, Assistant Legal Adviser for Private International Law, U.S. State Department
• Alejandro Osuna, Adjunct Professor, Universidad Iberoamericana Tijuana; Osuna Gonzáles y Asociados, S.C.
• Jan Ramberg, Professor Emiritus, University of Stockholm; former Chairman, CISG Advisory Council
• Dr. Djakhongir Saidov, Professor of International Sales Law, University of Birmingham and Birmingham Law School
• Dr. Ulrich Schroeter, Chair for Private Law, International Corporate Law, and European Business Law, University of Mannheim
• Dr. Ingeborg Schwenzer, Professor of Private and Comparative Law, University of Basel
• Han Shiyuan, Professor of Civil Law, Tsinghua University School of Law; Director, European and Comparative Law Center, Tsinghua University
• Hiroo Sono, Professor of Law, Hokkaido University
• Lisa Spagnolo, Assistant Lecturer in Property Law, Monash University
• Renaud Sorieul, Secretary, UNCITRAL; Director, International Trade Law Division, United Nations Office of Legal Affairs
• Pilar Perales Viscasillas, Chair of Commercial Law, University Carlos III of Madrid
• Peter Winship, Professor of International and Domestic Commercial Law, SMU Dedman School of Law

 *We are pleased to announce that you may submit questions electronically to the Symposium moderators at symposium@law.villanova.edu.

Schedule:

To view/download this schedule in pdf format - Click here.

8:00                        Welcome
                                John Y. Gotanda, Dean and Professor of Law, Villanova University School of Law

8:15                        Introduction and Overview
                                Michael Bridge, London School of Economics

8:30 - 9:50             Panel I  
 
                                Moderator:   Jack Graves, Touro Law Center

                                Yesim Atamer, İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi
                                Interest Claims under the CISG: Uniform or Domestic Law Approach?
                                Sieg Eiselen , University of South Africa
                                No Oral Modification (NOM) Clauses and the CISG
                                Djakhongir Saidov, University of Birmingham
                                Conformity of Goods:  A Critical Look at Article 35 of the CISG
                                Ulrich Schroeter , University of Mannheim
                                Defining the Borders of International Contract Law:  The CISG and Remedies for
                                Fraudulent, Negligent, or Innocent Misrepresentation

10:00 - 11:20       Panel II  
  
                                Moderator:    Joseph Dellapenna, Villanova University School of Law
                                Alejandro Osuna , Universidad Iberoamericana Tijuana
                                The CISG and Its Application by Mexican Courts
                                Han Shiyuan, Tsinghua University School of Law
                                PACL:  An Endeavor of Regional Harmonization of Contract Law in East Asia
                                Hiroo Sono , Hokkaido University
                                CISG as a Catalyst for Law Reform:  The Case of Japan
                                Lisa Spagnolo , Monash University
                                Law Wars:  Australian Contract Law Reform vs. CISG vs. CESL

11:20 - 12:20       Lunch  

12:30 - 1:50          Introduction and Keynote Speakers
                               John Y. Gotanda , Villanova University School of Law
                               The Honorable Renaud Sorieul , Director, International Trade Division, United
                               Nations Office of Legal Affairs; Secretary, UNCITRAL    
                               Anna Veneziano, Deputy Secretary General, UNIDROIT, Professor, University of
                               Teramo
                               Keith Loken , Assistant Legal Adviser for Private International Law, United States
                               Department of State  

2:00 - 3:05            Panel III   

                                Moderator:  Albert Bloomsbury, Attorney, Law Office of Albert L. Bloomsbury
                                Luca Castellani , United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
                                Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific (UNCITRAL RCAP)
                                Assessing the Limitation Convention Through Its Case Law
                                Henry Gabriel , Elon University School of Law
                                The Role of UNIDROIT
                                Jan Ramberg, University of Stockholm
                                The UPICC and the Feasibility of a Convention on International Commercial
                                Contracts

3:05 - 3:20            Break 

3:20 - 5:00            Panel IV 

                                Moderator:  Larry DiMatteo, University of Florida
                                Harry Flechtner, University of Pittsburgh School of Law
                                A Critique of the Swiss Proposal to Study a More Comprehensive Regime of
                                International Contract Law
                                Pilar Perales Viscasillas , Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
                                A Future of Instrument in Contract Law
                                Ingeborg Schwenzer , University of Basel
                                Regional and Global Unification of Contract Law — Who Needs Uniform
                                Contract Law, and Why?
                                Peter Winship, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
                                Why Not a Global International Commercial Code?
                                Alejandro Garro, Columbia University School of Law
                                Harmonization of General Contract Law

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