Columbia Law School
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I’m so glad to be back home here in New York. It’s an incredible honor to be speaking after Mayor Bloomberg today. And I’m sure the Mayor will be pleased to know that I plan to return and speak in
Arbitration
SEC Investor Advocate Discusses Mandatory Arbitration as Illusory Remedy for Shareholders
Today [February 24, 2018] is a special day for the [Securities and Exchange Commission’s] Office of the Investor Advocate.[1] I started this job four years ago today, and because I am the first Investor Advocate that is also the …
Skadden Discusses Pros and Cons of “Home Country” Arbitration Clauses
Courts in many countries, including the U.S., generally enforce contracts with clauses specifying international arbitration as the preferred avenue for resolving disputes. Accordingly, when drafting such provisions, due consideration must be placed on ensuring that such clauses are drafted to …
Senate Goes Back to the Future on Arbitration
In the movie Office Space, the (pretty) good guys hatch a plan to divert to themselves fractions of cents that their employer, Initech, has apparently been overcharging its customers by rounding billings upward. Had any customer discovered the scam, he …
Davis Polk Discusses China’s New Rules on International Investment Arbitration
On October 1, 2017, new international investment arbitration trial rules (Chinese version) (the “Rules”) issued by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (“CIETAC”) became effective. The Rules mark China’s first attempt to establish a domestic arbitral institution for …
Davis Polk Offers Tips on Preparing for CFPB’s New Arbitration Rule
Since the CFPB issued its Arbitration Rule in July, most commentators have focused on ways the rule may be blocked from going into effect. Chief among these is the possibility that Congress will vote to overturn the rule under the …
Mandatory Arbitration Does Not Give Stockholders a Choice
An August 21 blog post, “Shareholders Deserve Right to Choose Mandatory Arbitration,” by Professor Hal S. Scott, argues that the introduction of mandatory arbitration clauses into corporate charters would be good for stockholders. Nothing could be further from the truth.…
Shareholders Deserve Right to Choose Mandatory Arbitration
On July 17, SEC Commissioner Michael Piwowar extended an important invitation to U.S. public companies. “For shareholder lawsuits,” Piwowar offered, “companies can come to [the SEC] to ask for relief to put… mandatory arbitration into their charters.” To some, this …
Arnold & Porter Discusses Arbitration Battles
It’s been five years since Concepcion made “clear” that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) preempts state laws that forbid class action waivers. Concepcion did not protect arbitration agreements from laws of general applicability (such as unconscionability), but it …
Forum Selling and Domain-Name Disputes
The system for resolving domain-name disputes is unique in that it gives the complainant the unilateral ability to choose the arbitration provider. As a result, providers, whether motivated by profit or prestige, have incentives to favor the complainant, a trademark …
Arbitration Clauses as a Mechanism for Enforcing Unenforceable Contract Terms
In my article The Arbitration Bootstrap,[1] I explain how courts are misinterpreting the Federal Arbitration Act of 1925 (the FAA) in ways that allow firms to use arbitration clauses to render unenforceable contract terms enforceable. Arbitration clauses require …
Should Corporate Whistleblowers Go to Arbitration?
Following the 2008 financial crisis, more and more countries have begun to embrace whistleblower protections as a tool to change corporate cultures. Such provisions may give whistleblowers the protections they need to raise their voices, and draw attention to undesired …
Cleary Gottlieb discusses CFPB Rulemaking on Arbitration Agreements in Financial Products and Services Contracts
On May 5, 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) proposed a rule that would govern two aspects of consumer finance dispute resolution. First, the new regulations would prohibit providers of certain consumer financial products and services from including in …
Intra-Corporate Dispute Arbitration in the UK, US, and China
Intra-corporate dispute (ICD) arbitration may cover a wide range of disputes between shareholders, between shareholders and the company, and between shareholders and third parties such as the company directors. ICD arbitration has been practiced in the US for many years …
Innovation in Arbitration Law: The Delaware Rapid Arbitration Act
In 2015, Delaware adopted the Delaware Rapid Arbitration Act (DRAA). The DRAA replaced Delaware’s system of Court of Chancery arbitration (under which Court of Chancery judges could serve as arbitrators in confidential arbitration proceedings), which had been held unconstitutional as …
Jones Day explains The Future of Mandatory Consumer Arbitration Clauses
Arbitration as a means of dispute resolution is intended to help consumers and businesses save time and money and achieve fair results when compared to traditional litigation. Millions of contracts for consumer financial products and services have a pre-dispute arbitration …
Gibson Dunn analyzes the CFPB’s Rulemaking to Curtail Arbitration Agreements Barring Class Actions in Consumer Financial Contracts
On October 7, 2015, the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that it is “launch[ing] a rulemaking process” that is intended to impede the use of “pre-dispute arbitration agreements for consumer financial products and services.”[1] The proposal currently …
Takeover Dispute Resolution in Australia and the United States – Takeovers Panel or Courts?
Takeover disputes can be fiercely contested. Given this, there is an important question about the forum for these disputes. Traditionally, takeover disputes were resolved by the courts. However, in recent years, there has been a trend to have these disputes …
Wilson Sonsini discusses Newly Enacted Delaware Rapid Arbitration Act
The Delaware Rapid Arbitration Act (DRAA)—which provides a streamlined arbitration process that will allow for prompt, cost-effective resolution of business disputes—was passed by the Delaware House of Representatives on March 19, 2015, and the Delaware Senate on March 31, 2015, …
Arnold & Porter discusses CFPB’s Much Anticipated Arbitration Clause Study
On March 10, 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a much anticipated report regarding the use of pre-dispute arbitration clauses (sometimes referred to as “mandatory” arbitration clauses). The use of these clauses is fairly common in the consumer …