International Business Transactions Outline
The Basics
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Note about practicing international transactions work:
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Not about winning for your client in the short term
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A rational allocation of risk will assure your client repeat business, make everyone happy over the long term
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What makes an international transaction different?
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Different legal systems
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Which law is applicable (choice of law)
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Different currency
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How is payment made
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In Germany, normal that payee gives out account information
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Language barrier
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“normative clause” says which language prevails when there is a divergence
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system of dispute resolution
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forum shopping is a major issue in international transactions
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usually the forum is made clear
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Apple v. Samsung – Korean or US courts prevail in IP dispute?
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Deal with tariffs and import controls
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Protects domestic industry
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Raises revenue
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Deal with export controls
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22 technologies require extensive approval process from commerce dept before exporting
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shipping
International Sale of Goods
The Letter of Credit Transaction
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Glossary of terms
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RFQ – “Request For Quotation”
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Proforma Invoice (formal, comprehensive invoice)
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Includes cost per good, total cost (including shipping and shipment terms (e.g. CIF, FOB, etc . . .)), and payment terms (LOC, 30 days, etc)
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Shipment terms (published by ICC):
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FOB (Free On Board)
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Seller is obligated to have the goods packaged and ready for shipment from…
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“place of shipment” S puts carrier in possession
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this is default (if contract just says FOB)
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“place of destination” S must tender delivery in manner provided by the UCC.
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“vessel”
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in addition to other duties, must actually put goods on board vessel
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vessel must be named
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always a non-negotiable bill of lading?
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Buyer covers insurance, figures out how goods shipped and from where
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Makes sense, this scheme puts buyer in most control, most responsibilities
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Payment due on delivery, which is typically on the vessel
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FAS (Free Along Side)
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S is responsible to deliver goods to “side” of vessel. Once loading begins, off the hook (unique to waterborn shipments)
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C&F (Cost and Freight)
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Seller pays for shipping, but not insurance
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Refers to delivery contract, not shipment
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CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight)
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seller will bear the cost of shipping and insurance up to the designation
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IE all FOB stuff but also arranging all shipping and insurance to reach designation, perhaps not just a port
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typically seen as “CIF Bath, UK”
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MUST use an order (“negotiable”) BOL (find where this is in supplement)
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Buyer has total right to transfer his right to the goods
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BOL is equivalent to the goods
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Delivery of BOL can be treated as delivery of the goods
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Effectively no right of inspection
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Under UCC, you waive right to inspect when terms are payment against documents
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When must buyer pay?
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B1, INCOTERMS – based on the contract
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Payment term is usually “pay against documents”
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Usual rule is that bank gives buyer 3-5 days from when it gets the paper to pay them
PracAp: If seller given more duties (insurance, ect) he’s likely to pass that onto buyer. FOB is more common between parties who know/trust each other (parent/sub, ect).
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PO – “Purchase Order”
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Final order stating all relevant terms
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Will lead to battle of the forms if doesn’t match OA
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OA – “Order Acknowledgment”
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LoC – “Letter of Credit”
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Promise from Issuing Bank (buyer’s), drawn in favor of the beneficiary (seller), to pay to Seller’s Bank (SB), upon presentation of conforming documents
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usually includes a sight draft
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Sight Draft
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A “check-like” instrument ordering IB to pay Seller upon docs presentation.
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Usually is negotiable and signed over by S to SB, and then forwarded to IB with Neg. BOL for payment
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BoL – “Bill of Lading”
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K for shipment of goods btwn carrier and either buyer or seller
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“Negotiable” (a.k.a. “order”).
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This is the default for unlabeled BoL’s
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K with carrier.
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Receipt for goods issued by carrier.
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A document of title for the goods. Person in possession of BOL, if properly indorsed (or blank) is title.
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Carrier must receive BOL to release goods.
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“Non-negotiable” (a.k.a. “straight”).
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Consignee has rights to goods.
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Not title.
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Must be labeled as such (BoL not presumed “straight”)
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“On Board”
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issued once goods on vessel
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“Clean”
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Nothing on it indicating discrepancy regarding goods or their condition
The Normal Transaction
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Negotiation
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Buyer sends RFQ
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Seller sends Pro Forma invoice response
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Buyer sends Purchase Order
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Seller sends Order Acknowledgement
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Performance
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Buyer has their bank issue LoC to seller’s bank
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Normally buyer will say who seller’s bank is
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Seller delivers the goods to carrier, gets BoL
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If negotiable, can be endorsed to anyone, seller likely still on hook to buyer
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Goods not delivered till buyer gets BoL
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If non-negotiable, seller entitled to payment at this point
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Buyer will get the goods no matter what if BoL just says “buyer” and doesn’t require “holder of BoL in due course”?
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Seller usually required to notify buyer that delivery made under the contract
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Seller sells BoL to seller’s bank, exchanges the documents for credit
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Documents required:
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Bill of Lading
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Insurance
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Packing list
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Certificate of origin
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Online electronic export info
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Commercial invoice
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Seller has right to payment from seller’s bank, buyer’s bank, buyer, or US Gov
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Seller’s bank sells BoL to buyer’s bank
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Buyer’s bank sells BoL to buyer
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Holder presents BoL to carrier at destination, gets the goods
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Buyer obligated to inspect goods – Art. 38
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Must give notice of defect within reasonable time – Art. 39
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If says “freight collect”, can’t collect until freight paid
PracApp:
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What has to happen for seller to lose out?
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Buyer stiffs, buyer’s bank fails, and seller’s bank fails
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US Gov has to fail – insured up to $100,000 under USDIC
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What has to happen for buyer to lose out?
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Only if they don’t get a chance to inspect the goods and they don’t conform
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What has to happen for buyer’s bank to lose out?
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If buyer goes bankrupt
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Buyer’s bank in good position to evaluate this risk
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Might protect themselves by requiring collateral or a co-signer
Contract Formation
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Choice of Law
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Note: a forum will always apply its own choice of law rules
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US Choice of Law Principles
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Agreement of the parties usually controls?
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CISG if both parties are contracting states (U.S. Article 95 reservation)
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Supercedes UCC where applicable (supremacy clause)
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Applies to…
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K where parties are from different states
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If party location uncertain, one bearing closest relation to K counts
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Partial or complete derogation is permissible
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However, must be clear/explicit, not ambiguous
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Enumerated exclusions:
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Goods for personal or family use, Art. 2(a), unless seller neither knew nor should have known.
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Intangibles (e.g. securities, IP, rights, etc . . . )
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Information, Probably covered if on physical media.
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Services – Test is whether “preponderant part of the obligations of he party who furnishes the goods consists of labor or other services.” Art. 3(2).
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UCC § 1-105 if other party is not a contracting state to CISG
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Parties may choose the law of any State with a “reasonable relation” to the transaction
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“reasonable relation” = use, purchase, assembly, ect.
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Restatement of Conflicts of Law (Second)
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Used as a guide by courts?
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local law of state having “the most significant relationship to transaction and parties.” § 188(1)
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Relevant factors are location of…
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Contracting
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Negotiation
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Performance
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For shipping K’s
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COGSA governs carrier related disputes
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Europe Choice of Law Principles (Rome Convention)
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Article 3 – the choice of the parties usually governs
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Article 4 – if no law is chosen:
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Contract for sale of goods governed by law of country where seller has habitual residence (seller default)
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Promotes seller certainty, more sales
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Contract for provision of services governed by the law of the country where the service provider has his/her habitual residence
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Characteristic Performance Presumption
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Default is country of closest connection is where the party to affect characteristic performance has its habitual residence
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Normally, seller’s law will prevail.
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Judgment that sellers best able to protect themselves
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More seller-centric than UCC § 1-105
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For shipping K’s, country is…
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Carrier’s PPOB, or
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Country of loading, or
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Country of discharge, or
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PPOB of consignor.
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Forum selection:
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United States
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Virtually any forum selection clause will be accepted by the court so long as not “unreasonable or unjust.” Bremen
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Also cite Carnival Cruise Lines
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Europe – Brussells Convention
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Contracting parties may choose the courts of any of their States as forum so long as written in agreement. Art. 17.
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Shipping K’s
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Europe = Brussels Convention
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Unclear if COGSA is mandatory?
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U.S. – Any forum can be chosen which doesn’t reduce carrier liability (Fireman’s Fund)
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However, parties may choose forum hostile to COGSA, won’t hold carriers liable.
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Arbitral awards (come back to this)
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Battle of the forms
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CISG
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Offer requirements.
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It must be a proposal for concluding a K. Art. 14.
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Intention to be bound. Art. 14
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Sufficiently definite offer. Art. 14.
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Acceptance
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Mirror-Image Analysis. If acceptance differs in any way, it is deemed to be a rejection and counter-offer. Art. 19(1).
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EXCEPTION. Difference is immaterial. Art. 19(3).
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Silence not usually acceptance. Art. 18. UNLESS result of practices which the parties have established or usage. Id.
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Terms
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Essentially Mirror Image Rule. Art. 19(1)
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Terms must be more or less identical to form a contract
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however, change must be “material” to be a rejection/counteroffer
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judges have rebelled here (2/3), tend to use knockout rule
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Last Shot Principle. If seller ships goods, governing terms are those of the last non-terminated offer. If buyer accepts goods, he accepts terms on order acknowledgement.
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Intent relevant. Ct. may look at party’s intent to ascertain if terms are part of K. Art. 8.
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No Parole Evidence. Art. 8(3).
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U.C.C.
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Acceptance
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Acceptance, purporting to be so, is, even if terms differ. UCC § 2-207(1).
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If one form prohibits contract on any other terms and other form has additional terms, there is no K.
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Validity of Additional Terms. §2-207
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First Shot Rule. Are offers for modification, UNLESS b/t merchants and:
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Offer expressly prohibits modification, or
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Material, or
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Notification of objection to terms already given.
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Revised § 2-207 uses Knockout Rule.
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Ct. can still find K if subsequent conduct affirms acceptance of term. § 2-207(3).
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Judges can avoid the battle of the forms and examine parties intent. Filanto.
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British
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Acceptance:
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Strict Mirror Image Rule
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if anything is different, it is a rejection and counteroffer
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terms:
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Last shot principle – if seller ships (performs) whoever sent the last offer defines the contract
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Incentivizes a lot of back and forth of forms, kind of talking past each other
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Implied Terms
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C.I.S.G. (doesn’t call them implied terms).
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Fitness for Particular Purpose. Art. 35
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Merchantability. Art. 35.
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Waivable by parties though seemingly more liberally. Art. 35.
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Derogation avail. under Art. 6.
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U.C.C.
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Merchantability. § 2-314.
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Fitness for Particular Purpose if seller knows or has reason to know buyer is relying on its representations. § 2-315.
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Disclaiming. § 2-316
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Conspicuous language using specific words (e.g. “as is”).
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Course of dealing.
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Full opportunity to inspect and no latent defects.
PracApp:
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You HAVE TO understand CISG to negotiate contract, never guaranteed that it won’t apply
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How can you minimize risk to the client?
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Constantly sending forms to win last shot rule is risky, inadvisable
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Have the buyer test the goods or test them yourself
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Good idea for client to look up what standards apply abroad and test the product under those conditions
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To avoid consequential damages, really bargain, understand what’s at stake for the other side
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Above all, maintain the business relationship, don’t just try to win
Impossibility/Impracticability/Excuse
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CISG
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Art 79(1) – No liability if
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[complete] non-performance results from…
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Impediment…
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Beyond his control…
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And he could not reasonably be expected to account for it in K
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And pary gives timely notice, Art 79(4)
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Frustration is not a defense
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Art 79(2) – If a third party is responsible for non-performance, party not exempt unless
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Party already exempt under (1) OR
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Third party would be exempt under (1)
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Excuse is presumed not to be permanent
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May be exception if K and/or drafting history suggests otherwise
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Damages:
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Cover Damages. CISG Art. 75. Substantially similar to UCC
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Market Damages. Gets difference in market price and K price at time of avoidance, if doesn’t purchase substitute.
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Anglo-American Approach
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UCC § 2-615 – Excuses
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Seller (and only seller) excused IF
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seller hasn’t assumed risk
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excuse is for failure or delay in delivery
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performance is made commercially impracticable by:
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the occurrence of a contingency “the non-occurrence of which was a basic assumption on which the contract was made, OR
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by compliance in good faith with any applicable foreign or domestic governmental regulation or order whether or not it later proves to be invalid.
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Applies only to seller.
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Frustration (UK rule) – if due to unprovided-for circumstance, a situation changes sufficiently that it would be unjust to hold party accountable, then the contact is at an end.
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The Eugenia (Ct. of App. 1963)(holding seller in violation of K when it took ship through Suez Canal despite blockage rather than taking circuitous route which would add 30% time. Ct. held add’l time not sufficiently different.
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U.S. Damages are cover damages.
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Calculated as difference between K price and market price at time of delivery (i.e. when title changes).
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Buyer may “without unreasonable delay” purchase substitute and cover. Buyer can recover difference b/t that and amt. paid. UCC § 2-712.
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Civil Law Jurisdictions (generally)
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Similarities to common law:
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Occurrence of an event after the making of contract
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Exceptionality and unforeseeability of event
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Alteration of contract to intolerable degree
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No fault on obligor’s part
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Differences:
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Generally less willing to excuse performance
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Germany prefers modifying K
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France has extremely high threshold (“absolute” impossibility)
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UNIDROIT
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Force Majeure excuses performance if impediment…
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Is beyond party’s control AND
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party could not reasonably have taken into account, OR avoided
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Hardship authorizes K renegotiation or court modification where occurrence of events “fundamentally altering” the equilibrium of the contract either b/c cost has increased or value received has decreased.
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50% or more change in price or value might be enough.
PracApp:
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universally, a simple rise in price almost never excuses performance
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look for contractual language that specifies the source or exact composition of the product
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IE does contract for oil require Araby-sourced oil? Can replace on spot market?
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Strengthens the case for excuse if so
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Renegotiation is the norm internationally because force majure signals complete breakdown in relationship
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IE there will be no repeat business
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How does a middleman protect himself vis a vis his obligor to provide and his obligee he delivers to?
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One method: line up the excuse clauses in your contracts
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write supplier contract that says supplier has to deliver oil no matter what, not necessarily from their refinery
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Supplier probably won’t agree to it, makes them broker with no premium
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Write obligee contract to excuse you if refinery burns down
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Probably won’t accept this, damage relatiohship
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Better method: buy futures on product you must provide (insurance by another name)
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If your supplier fails, you have the right to buy replacements at a price that won’t ruin you
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Carrier Liability
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Hague Rules apply to contracting states, even if not implemented
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US implemented as COGSA
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Carrier liability limited to $500 per package UNLESS shipper declares value on BOL.
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Limitation narrowly construed.
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Carrier misrepresenting count may not invoke $500 limitation. (Berisford Metals Corp. v. S/S Salvador) (carrier couldn’t invoke limitation when it erroneously wrote 100 bundles of tin ingots instead of actual 30 where 70 disappeared while stored in dock and carrier could have noticed discrepancy).
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Clean Bill of Lading creates prima facie presumption that goods are as described.
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Carriers can still avoid liability if they state “Shipper’s load and count” or “particulars furnished by shipper.”
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Of course, this creates an unclean BOL which is frequently unacceptable to consignee.
Commercial terms, BoL, Insurance
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Bill of Lading
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Hague rules – ("International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading") – 1924
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Requires carriers take on at least $500 in liability
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Most countries raised this, US hasn’t
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Limited instances where carrier is liable
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Rotterdam Rules
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Recently negotiated, haven’t been put into effect
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Federal Bills of Lading Act (FBLA)
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Warranties and Liability. 49 U.S.C. § 80107.
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Unless contrary intention appears, person negotiating or transferring BOL warrants that
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BOL is genuine
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He or she has right to transfer
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He or she is unaware of any fact affecting validity or worth
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Goods are merchantable or fit for particular purpose if that would have been implied absent a BOL.
* This encourages people to know their endorser *
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Shipper liable if passes off duplicate as original.
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Endorser not liable for prior false endorsements.
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Duty to Deliver. 49 U.S.C. § 80110.
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Carrier must deliver to consignee or holder of BOL.
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Carrier may deliver to
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Consignee.
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Holder. Carrier is liable if BOL is fraudulently indorsed.
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Carrier may retain goods while investigating multiple claims.
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Carrier liability for misdirection
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Liable for non-receipt and mis-description UNLESS
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Uses words “Shippers weight, load and count” or almost exactly similar on BOL. 49 U.S.C. § 80113, AND
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“Particulars furnished by shipper” not necessarily sufficient, so best to use exact terms. (Industria Nacional)
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Must indicate that shipper loaded. (Industria Nacional)
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Carrier wasn’t aware of non-conformity.
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Carrier liable for kind, quantity and weight for bulk freight where shipper makes adequate facilities available to carrier.
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Carrier has duty to count packages if package freight.
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Carrier has duty to determine kind and quantity for bulk freight.
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Carrier liability for forgery
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If carrier issues BOL and there are no goods, carrier liable.
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If the carrier did not issue BOL and its signature is a forgery or unauthorized, that signature is not effective – carrier not liable, absent actionable negligence. See Adel (Ct. found carrier liable for misdelivery upon a clearly forged BOL).
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Bank Liability
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Banks can escape liability for forged BoL’s by…
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Specifically disclaiming warranty under § 80107, OR
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Claiming it is holding as security for a debt (problematic since it is never a creditor. Id.
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Banks generally have no liability other than appear to be as listed – Uniform Rules for Collection, I.C.C.
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Bank generally not responsible for payments upon forgeries. Unless if fails to disclaim warranty of genuineness.
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Fraud/screwups
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What if someone improperly gets hold of BoL and endorses to third party bank?
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Federal Bill of Lading Act (Pomerine Act)
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Holder is person having BOTH possession of AND property rights in a BoL
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Each party in the transaction, terms are “deliver to buyer’s bank, or ordered”
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Means only person with property interest is buyer’s bank or whoever he orders it to
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If there is a break in the chain of endorsements, only buyer’s bank can be holder
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What if someone forges buyer’s bank endorsement?
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Civil law – if it looks correct (names are right) will be treated as valid
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Common Law – a forged endorsement is not an endorsement
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Federal Bill of Lading Act – basically helps to invalidate forged docs
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Applies to outbound shipments from US to a foreign country
PracApp:
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The expectations for carriers are relatively clear, and don’t change based on the precise wording of the BoL
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Rule: you are liable for those goods which you describe
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Don’t expect them to open boxes and do a full inspection
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How do you get client’s money in case of fraud?
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If carrier delivers to someone who’s stolen the document, the carrier IS liable
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Sue the bank
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How can carrier get rid of liabilities?
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use language “said to contain” or just say “I received x number of boxes”
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however, the commercial invoice might require carrier to state what’s in the boxes
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How can the bank get rid of liabilities?
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Warranties that the bill is genuine are implied
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Therefore, you would have to explicitly disclaim them
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“Deliver to buyer’s bank or order, no warranties”
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have to show this “contrary intention”
Letters of Credit
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General principles
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LoC is independent of the sales contract
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Obligations under LoC unconnected to obligations of underlying contract
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UCC
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Letters of Credit
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