Common Law Contracts, Arbitration and Advocacy

Law of England & Wales (and common law more generally) is of huge relevance internationally, as it is the most frequent choice of applicable law in international commercial contracts, regardless of any link with the United Kingdom.
English contract law has chosen, among other factors, for its predictability and suitability for commercial transactions and at least familiarity with it is a pre-requisite for most students desiring a career involving transnational transactions. Complementing these transactions is a transnational system of dispute resolution - international arbitration, where parties can finally resolve disputes through their chosen arbitrators and without necessarily involving state courts.

Again, England & Wales, and London in particular, are global leaders in providing arbitration services and having a world-leading legal framework for them.

Finally, drafting and interpreting contracts under English law, and resolving disputes through arbitration, heavily rely on specific drafting styles and also oral advocacy approaches found primarily in common law, both in UK and US. To successfully navigate these fields, knowledge of basic principles of drafting and advocating that can serve as a foundation for further improvement is a necessity.

The summer school in Common Law Contracts, Arbitration and Advocacy aims to provide the students with an introduction into these three spheres of English common law and practice, providing the knowledge of general principles and approaches, and laying out a firm foundation for further study in those who want to make international commercial law and transactions their primary focus. By connecting substantive contract law with dispute resolution through arbitration and techniques of drafting and advocacy, it provides a rounded introduction into this complex yet fascinating area of law and is suitable for students coming from any jurisdiction.

Course leader

Dr Velimir ZivkovicLink
Lyla Latif
Satwant Kaur

Target group

There are no prerequisites for this course. This course is open to students studying any discipline at University level. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds, including students who are currently studying another subject but who want to broaden their knowledge in another discipline. Students should also meet our standard entry requirements and must be aged 18 or over by the time the Summer School commences and have a good understanding of the English language.

Course aim

Introduction to general principles of English common law, general principles in contract law, and three key distinct stages of contract - formation, interpretation, and remedies for its breach.

Introduction to general principles of (international) arbitration, broad features of the legal framework of arbitration in England & Wales, and the key stages in the arbitration process.

Providing an overview of different styles of legal drafting , general approaches to effective legal writing in common law, and general principles of oral advocacy.

Credits info

4 EC
3-4 credits (US) 7.5 ECTS points (EU)

Fee info

GBP 2350: Student Rate (for any students in full-time education at any University or College worldwide)
EUR 3150: Standard Rate