InfoGraph: Pourquoi Grotius Chambers?

InfoGraph explaining why to use Grotius Chambers (in FR).

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Client Brief: COVID-19 and International Parental Child Abduction

Since the COVID-19 outbreak has been declared a pandemic by the WHO, numerous States have taken intrusive measures to its spread. Travel bans, closed borders, cancelled events and closed courts are among them. The restrictions cause direct impacts on transnational families. They may hinder, in particular, the prompt return of children in cases of international parental child abduction. Difficulties to commence proceedings before courts and complying with agreements or return orders are among those. This Client Brief raises important issues, parents will need to consider in this regard.

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COVID-19, International Organisations and Force Majeure

Many States affected by the pandemic host International Organisations (IOs) – which are, despite the immunities they usually enjoy, not “immune” to the measures States have taken. Thus, IOs decided that Staff must work from home and they deferred or cancelled all travel. They may also defer or cancel in-person meetings and conferences, affecting venue reservations and catering contracts. Or they had contracts deferred or cancelled on them, perhaps because a supply chain of the counterparty was interrupted. While a deferral or cancellation of private contracts, both through the IO as well as through a counterparty, is presently perchance unavoidable, it is fundamental that IOs understand their rights and obligations in this exceptional situation. If not handled properly, significant costs and reputational damage can be the result of the IOs actions. This Client Brief addresses some of the risks and their management associated with the non-performance of private contracts.

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How to make strong International Organisations after COVID-19

This is a primer for discussion. It identifies four issues that International Organisations will need to think about now to emerge stronger after COVID-19. As COVID-19 continues to grab the main headlines, it is important that international organisations (IOs) and their staff are and remain alert to the many consequences this pandemic will cause. Already, IOs took extraordinary measures, including putting staff on administrative or special leave. But many consequences will not be limited to the duration of the pandemic but continue to unfold even afterwards. Their early identification now is paramount to start preparing for such post-pandemic consequences. Grotius Chambers has started this process to find those areas where early preparation can make a real difference. Ongoing discussions with clients and within our networks and our understanding of IOs and their regulatory environments help us. For this Client Brief, we identify four issues that we understand are already, or could become soon, priorities for many IOs and their staff.

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Expectation and clarity: forum conveniens and choice of law in arbitration

In Enka Insaat Ve Sanayi AS v OOO “Insurance Company Chubb” & Ors [2020] EWCA Civ 574 (Enka vs Chubb), the English Court of Appeal recently ruled on issues relating to forum conveniens and the choice of law in relation to arbitration agreements.

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