CISG Basics: A Guide to International Sales Law

Written for the novice who may be encountering CISG for the first time or for the seasoned lawyer who is looking for a “refresher course,” this practical guide will help practitioners decipher and understand the complexities of this area of international sales law. The authors conducted extensive research, reading more than 150 U.S. cases that have been decided under the CISG, as well as many decisions of international tribunals as they crafted this valuable, user-friendly guide. This reference covers the basics of CISG, its purpose and basic analysis of the application of CISG to obligations of the buyer or seller’s basic obligations.

In order to ensure that international trade deals were uniform and fair for all parties involved, the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) was developed. Written for the novice who may be encountering CISG for the first time or for the seasoned lawyer who is looking for a “refresher course,” this practical guide will help practitioners decipher and understand the complexities of this area of law. The authors conducted extensive research, reading more than 150 U.S. cases that have been decided under the CISG, as well as many decisions of international tribunals as they crafted this valuable, user-friendly guide. 

Each chapter closes by posing questions built on basic facts in a fictional hypothetical, and directs you to portions of the chapter that address each question. While the hypothetical is not an actual case, it is based on two leading CISG cases, as well as facts from a dispute under the UCC. In addition, this guide includes information on:

• the basics of the CISG, including how CISG concepts might show up in a typical international business transaction
• the use of common law to interpret the CISG
• type of sale and internationality of the transaction
• the purpose of the CISG and basic analysis of its application
• opting out of the CISG
• contraction formation
• interpretation of the convention
• seller’s basic obligations
• obligations of the buyer
• and more!