Out Now: Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of International Commercial Arbitration

Despite all recent efforts from the HCCH 2019 Judgments Convention to the founding of International Commercial Courts (ICC) promoting the attractiveness of court litigation, the most favoured method for resolving international disputes in civil and commercial matters, without a single doubt, remains arbitration. According to the 2025 QMUL International Arbitration Survey an overwhelming majority of respondents (87%) would choose international arbitration either as a standalone mechanism (39%) or in combination with other mechanisms of alternative dispute resolution (48%).

In view of this prevalence for international arbitration, the latest addition to the Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Law Series on “International Commercial Arbitration” edited by Franco Ferrari (NYU) and Friedrich Rosenfeld (Hahnefeld Rechtsanwälte) provides more than welcome comprehensive and authoritative guidance on the subject. Featuring more than 130 entries by renowned legal scholars and leading practioners from across the globe, the volume covers the entire spectrum of challenges that can arise in the course of a legal dispute, from the pre-arbitration phase to the post-award stage, with a particular focus on the fundamental legal instruments in this area, such as the 1958 New York Convention, the UNCITRAL Model Law as well as the IBA Guidelines on the Conflict of Interests and the Taking of Evidence.

In the preface, the editors explain the purpose and structure of the book as follows:

“This encyclopedia provides a concise overview of key topics in the field of international arbitration. It is organized by keywords listed in alphabetical order to ensure easy navigation. Each entry provides a brief introduction to the relevant topic. We have asked the contributors to refrain from adding endnotes with references to seconday sources. Instad, a short bibliography guides those interested in delving deeper into further reading materials.

Further information are available on the publisher’s website, the complete list of authors and entries may be retrieved here.