Publication: Briggs on Agreements on Jurisdiction and Choice of Law

It has been our book of the month for a few weeks now, but as yet we have not formally announced the publication of Professor Adrian Briggs‘ latest work, Agreements on Jurisdiction and Choice of Law (Oxford, OUP, 2008). So, here’s the blurb:

In this book, the author analyses the law and practice relating to the classification, drafting, validity and enforcement of contracts relating to jurisdiction and choice of law. The focus is on English law, EU law and common law measures, but there is also some comparative material built in. The book will be useful in particular to practising lawyers seeking to draft, interpret or enforce the types of contract discussed, but the in-depth discussion will also be valuable to academic lawyers specialising in private international law.

Written by an academic who is also a practising barrister, this book gives in-depth coverage of how the instruments and principles of private international law can be used for the resolution of cross-border or multi-jurisdictional disputes. It examines the operation and application of the Brussels Regulation, the Rome Convention and the Hague Convention on Exclusive Choice of Court Agreements in such disputes, but also discusses the judgments and decisions of the courts in significant cases such as Turner v Grovit, Union Discount v Zoller, and De Wolf v Cox.

Much of the book is given over to practical evaluation of how agreements on jurisdiction and choice of law should be put together, with guidance on, amongst other things, drafting of the agreements (including some sample clauses), severability of agreements, consent, and the resolution of disputes by arbitration.

The table of contents:

1. Introduction and Scheme
2. Consent in private international law
3. Dispute resolution and severability
4. Clauses, principles, and interpretation
5. Drafting agreements
6. Jurisdiction agreements: primary obligations
7. Jurisdiction agreements: Brussels Regulation
8. Jurisdiction agreements: secondary obligations
9. Foreign Judgments
10. Agreements on choice of law
11. Giving effect to agreements on choice of law
12. Agreements to resolve disputes by arbitration
13. Conclusions

A more detailed table of contents can be found on the OUP website, where you can also download a sample chapter (PDF). The price is £145, and you can buy it from Amazon, or OUP. Needless to say, it is highly recommended.