CONFLICT OF LAWS- READINGS

CORE TEXTS:
Hill, J. and M. Ní Shúilleabháin Clarkson & Hill’s conflict of laws. (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2016) fifth edition

Torremans, P. et al. (eds) Cheshire, North & Fawcett: private international law.
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017) 15th edition

Chapter 1 – introduction

Core text
Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 4 ‘Contractual obligations’, Section III ‘Determining
the applicable law’ and Section IV ‘The limits of the applicable law’: A
‘Introduction’ and B ‘Limits on freedom of choice’

Other useful textbooks

-Briggs, A. The conflict of laws. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019) fourth
edition (available in VLeBooks via the Online Library).
‘Briggs’ is short, very thoughtful and excellent once you have grasped the detail
from Clarkson and Hill or Cheshire, North and Fawcett. It is a perfect revision
instrument and will stretch your thinking.
-Hartley, T.C. International commercial litigation: text, cases and materials on
private international law. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020)
third edition (available in Cambridge Core via the Online
Library). This book makes very interesting reading on issues of jurisdiction as it
provides a detailed analysis of the Brussels Regulation (recast).
-Rogerson, P. Collier’s conflict of laws. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
2013) fourth edition ‘Collier’ is an alternative to Clarkson and Hill. It is very student-friendly,
written in a lively style. It is not as comprehensive as Clarkson and Hill or Cheshire, North
and Fawcett.

Practitioner text
-Lord Collins of Mapesbury and J. Harris (eds) Dicey, Morris & Collins: the conflict of
laws. (London: Sweet & Maxwell, 2022) 16th edition [ISBN 9780414102040].
Dicey, Morris & Collins is excellent for reference purposes; there are regular
supplements to the two bulky volumes (the supplements are themselves
substantial, and have their own ISBNs).

New cases are reported in:

-Lloyd’s Law Reports
-All England Reports (particularly their Commercial Reports and European
Reports)
-Weekly Law Reports
Chapter 2 – Fundamental concepts and issues

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 1 ‘Introduction’, Section II ‘The conflicts process’,
B.3(A)(ii)(a) ‘The lex fori’
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 1 ‘Introduction’, Section II ‘The conflicts process’,
B.3(D) ‘The incidental question’
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 1 ‘Introduction’, Section II ‘The conflicts process’, B.3(C)
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 1 ‘Introduction’, Section II ‘The conflicts process’, B.1
‘Rationale of choice of law rules’
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 1 ‘Introduction’, Section II ‘The conflicts process’,
B.3(F) ‘Exclusion of foreign law’.
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 1 ‘Introduction’, Section II ‘The conflicts process’,
C ‘Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments’

Essential reading
-Case: Ogden v Ogden [1908] P 46
-Gotlieb, A.E. ‘The incidental question revisited – theory and practice in the
conflict of laws’ (1977) 26 ICLQ 734 (available in HeinOnline and JSTOR via the
Online Libary)
-Briggs, pp.17–21 (available in VLeBooks via the Online Library).
-Briggs, A. ‘In praise and defence of renvoi’ (1998) 47 ICLQ 877 (available in
multiple Online Library databases)
-Carter, P. ‘The role of public policy in English conflicts of law’ (1993) 42 ICLQ 1
(available multiple Online Library databases).
-Fentiman, R. ‘Foreign law in English courts’ (1992) 108 LQR 142 (available in
Westlaw via the Online Library)

Chapter 3 - domicile and residence

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 6 ‘Domicile, nationality and habitual residence’.
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 6 ‘Domicile, nationality and habitual residence’, Section V
‘Habitual residence’

Essential reading
-Cases: Winans v AG [1904]; Ramsay v Liverpool Royal Infirmary [1930] ; IRC v Bullock
[1976]; Re Furse [1980]

Chapter 4 – jurisdiction

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 3 ‘Foreign judgments’, Section I ‘Introduction’
-Cheshire, North and Fawcett, pp.496–518 (available on the VLE)
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 2 ‘Civil jurisdiction’, Section II ‘Bases of jurisdiction in personam’

Chapter 5 – The EU regime

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 2 ‘Civil jurisdiction’, Section II ‘Bases of jurisdiction in
personam’, A ‘Bases of jurisdiction under the Brussels I Recast’.

Essential reading
-Hartley, Chapter 3 ‘Jurisdiction under EU law’; Chapter 4 ‘EU law: special
jurisdiction’, Chapter 8 ‘Choice-of-court agreements’, Sections 1 ‘Introduction’
and 2 ‘The European Union’; Chapter 10 ‘Jurisdictional conflicts: the EU
approach’; and Chapter 14 ‘EU law’ (available in Cambridge Core via the Online
Library).
-Garvey, S. and K. Birch ‘Brussels Regulation (recast): an update’ (Allen & Overy
LLP, 2015) http://bit.ly/1PgnSIB

Chapter 6 – stays and restraint of proceedings

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 2 ‘Civil jurisdiction’, Section III ‘Declining jurisdiction
and staying proceedings’, B.1 ‘The development of the doctrine’, 2 ‘General
principles’ and 3 ‘The effect of a dispute-resolution clause’
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 2 ‘Civil jurisdiction’, Section III ‘Declining jurisdiction
and staying proceedings’, B.5 ‘The Brussels I Regulation and non-Member States’,
Section IV ‘Provisional measures’ and Section V ‘Restraining foreign proceedings:
anti-suit injunctions’.

Chapter 7 – foreign judgements

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 3 ‘Foreign judgments’, Section I ‘Introduction’
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 3 ‘Foreign judgments’, Section II ‘Recognition and
enforcement at common law’
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 3 ‘Foreign judgments’, Section IV ‘Recognition and
enforcement under the Brussels I Regulation’

Essential reading
-Hartley, Chapter 14 ‘EU law’ (available in Cambridge Core via the Online Library).

Chapter 8 - contracts

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 4 ‘Contractual obligations’.
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 4 ‘Contractual obligations’, Section VI ‘Particular
aspects of the contract’.

Essential reading
-Garcimartín Alférez, F.J. ‘The Rome I Regulation: Much ado about nothing?’
(2008) 2 The European Legal Forum (E), 61–80 (available on the VLE).
Chapter 9 - torts

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 5 ‘Non-contractual obligations’.

Chapter 10 – restitutionary remedies

Chapter 11 - property

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 9 ‘Property’, Section I ‘Movables and immovables
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 9 ‘Property’, Section II ‘Transfers inter vivos’, B
‘Tangible movables’
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 2 ‘Civil jurisdiction’, Section III ‘Declining jurisdiction
and staying proceedings’, B.4 ‘Cases involving immovable property not
regulated by the Brussels I Regulation’.
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 9 ‘Property’, Section III ‘Matrimonial property’

Chapter 12 – succession and trusts

Core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 9 ‘Property’, Section IV ‘Succession’.
-Cheshire, North and Fawcett, pp.1382–96 (available on the VLE)

Chapter 13 - Marriage and other adult relationships and the status of children

core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 7 ‘Marriage’.

Essential reading
-Hartley, T. ‘The policy basis of the English conflict of laws of marriage’ (1972) 35
MLR 571 (available in HeinOnline and JSTOR via the Online Library).
-Cheshire, North and Fawcett pp.724–31.
-There are differing views on Radwan. Read I. Karsten [1973] 36 MLR 291 for the view that
it is wrong; A. Jaffey [1978] 41 MLR 38 defends the decision.
-You may find Onobrauche v Onobrauche [1978] 8 Fam Law 107, Poon v Tan [1973] 4 Fam
Law 161 and Quoraishi v Quoraishi [1985] FLR 780 useful. They are discussed in Clarkson and
Hill, p.404
Chapter 14 – matrimonial causes

core text
-Clarkson and Hill, Chapter 8 ‘Matrimonial causes’

Essential reading -The rigidity of Article 11(2): read Truex [2001] Fam Law 233 and Mostyn
[2001] Fam Law 359