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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