The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the UN agency responsible for the protection of intellectual property (IP) rights worldwide and for the administration of multilateral IP treaties. Its website contains the full text of all the treaties administered by WIPO, with status information; arbitration decisions relating to domain names; a database of national IP laws (WIPO-Lex); and a patents database.
This website outlines the work of the Office of the Legal Adviser and makes available US official publications and information about international law. The Treaty Affairs section provides the current edition of Treaties in Force; the Treaties and Other International Acts Series (TIAS) from 1996 to 2003; information about multilateral treaties deposited with the US Government; details of treaty actions; and a list of treaties pending in the Senate. The Digest of United States Practice in International Law is available from 1989/90 onwards.
The aim of the Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit (DIS), or German Institution of Arbitration, is to promote arbitration nationally and internationally. The site provides various legal texts relating to arbitration in Germany, including the 1998 Arbitration Act, plus the DIS's own arbitration rules, model arbitration clause, schedule of costs and costs calculator (all in German, English and other languages). There is a database of German arbitration case summaries (in both English and German, for the most part). DIS publications are listed and can be ordered online.
Web pages of the UK Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, the professional body for arbitrators founded in 1915, which aims to promote arbitration as an alternative method of dispute resolution to litigation. The website presents information on different aspects of the Institute's work and services including training courses and news items. There is a link to the Institute's wholly owned subsidiary, IDRS providing details of their commercial and consumer dispute services. Other areas of the site are restricted to members only.
Internet site for the World Intellectual Property Organization's Arbitration and Mediation Center. The Center was established in Geneva, Switzerland in 1994 to offer dispute resolution advisory services, particularly in international commercial disputes between private parties. The site publishes information about the Center, its work in arbitration and mediation and its staff. There are sections offering information on arbitration, mediation, expert determination and domain name dispute resolution. The sections include general information, decisions, fees and rules.
The OSCE Court on Conciliation and Arbitration was established in 1995. Its website provides an explanation of the development and function of the Court. The Documents section includes the text of the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration, which set up the Court, together with a list of accessions and ratifications and the Court's Rules of Procedure.
Consensus Mediation is a commercial company specialising in mediation, a form of alternative dispute resolution. The website contains information on the services offered by the firm and profiles of mediators. There is information on how mediation works, tips for lawyers, an essential mediation checklist and a collection of articles about mediation and other ADR topics. A selection of FAQs and a glossary of terms are also provided.
Official website of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which hears disputes between States, between States and private parties and between international organisations. PCA awards and other case documentation are available on the site, together with details of pending cases. UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea) cases arbitrated under the auspices of the PCA are also provided. The Documents and Resources section includes the basic PCA conventions, model clauses and procedural rules, together with a collection of conventions and other instruments referring to the PCA.
Website of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), which was established in 1966 under the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States. The site describes the history, mission and work of the organisation. It makes available the text of the Convention and a list of signatures and ratifications, as well as ICSID rules, regulations and model clauses. There is a database of pending and concluded cases as well as a database of basic information about bilateral investment treaties.
Dispute resolution section of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) website. Provides information about the ICC International Court of Arbitration and other ICC dispute resolution services, covering costs, rules, model clauses and other topics. The Professional Development section has a link to the ICC Dispute Resolution Library (however, this is easier to find from library.iccwbo.org). The Dispute Resolution Library is partly fee-based, but has a free facility for looking up ICC awards to find out where they have been published.
