Topic outline

  • Introductory Notes

    Professor Catherine Kessedjian is Professor at the Université Paris II- Panthéon Assas, and is in charge of this advanced course or Private International Law as Visiting Professor at the University of Padova School of Law


    Prof. Kessedjian classes on Private International Law are indeed advanced classes, and are to be understood as a complement to bases knowledges the students must have acquired either during Prof. B. Cortese classes on Private International Law (Corso di Diritto Internazionale, AA 2015/2016), or during previous years general courses on Private International Law.


    The first part of the course will be devoted to International Dispute Resolution, including International Commercial Arbitration, International Investment Arbitration, and National (or EU) Rules on Jurisdiction.

    The second part will be devoted to Applicable Law.


    We will always look at international law (when it exists) and at the specific regional legal system of the European Union.


    The Syllabus of the course, including readings, is attached here as a pdf file 

  • Introduction to Dispute Resolution; Mediation

  • International Commercial Arbitration (first block)

    The validity of the arbitration agreement


    The legality of the arbitration agreement - arbitrability of the dispute


    The effect of the arbitration agreement

  • International Commercial Arbitration (second block)

    The arbitral tribunal

    The seat and place of arbitration


    • International Commercial Arbitration (third block)

      The law applicable by the arbitral tribunal

      • International Commercial Arbitration (fourth block)

        The award: setting aside, recognition and enforcement

        • Arbitration and European Law

        • International investment Arbitration

        • National Court Proceedings (1) Introduction.

        • National Court Proceedings (2) Choice of Court

        • National Court Proceedings (3) Provisional and Protective Measures

        • National Court Proceedings (4) Exclusive Jurisdiction

        • National Court Proceedings (5) Jurisdiction in B2B Contracts

        • National Court Proceedings (6,7) Jurisdiction in Tort

          Internet disputes

          Violation of human rights by transnational corporations.


        • Applicable Law (1) A-national Rules and lex mercatoria

        • Applicable Law (2) Applicable Law to Contracts

          B2B contracts and the special case of the weaker party

          The 2015 Hague Principles.


        • Applicable Law (3) Applicable Law to Torts

          The special case of human rights violations.


        • Applicable Law (4) Applicable Law to Companies