Studying Law at Roma Tre
Syllabus
Private Comparative Law
Dr. Noah Vardi
Fall 2012
7 CFUs - ECTS, (Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 8.30-10.00)
Office hours: Tuesdays 10.15-12.00, room 275, second floor, Law Faculty
Email: noah.vardi@uniroma3.it
Course description:
The course aims at conducting a comparative analysis of some key institutions of private law
(contract law, tort law), with special focus both on the common law/civil law convergence
and distinctions and on the process of Europeanisation of private law. In particular, the
following areas will be examined:
Introduction to private comparative law - Contract law in the civil law, Roman law, and
common law traditions - Principles of tort law and relevant case law in some of the main
traditions of civil law (France, Germany, and Italy) and common law (UK and USA)- The
Europeanisation of private law in the areas of contract and tort (with special focus on
consumer law).
Course Learning Objectives
 To introduce students to important aspects of foreign law.
 To introduce students to the comparative methodology in the study of law.
 To provide, through the study of foreign law, a better understanding of national
law.
 To develop tools whereby students may identify relevant issues of comparative
law and know-how to begin analysing and researching them, and may
approach normative, jurisprudential and doctrinal sources of foreign law.
 To develop critical skills of analysis and interpretation in relation to
comparative methodology and foreign law.
Course Learning Activities
The course consists of lectures on the main subjects of private comparative law followed by
presentations and seminars that are meant to support the lectures and encourage interactive
student participation.
Assessment tools
Student evaluation will be based on class work, class participation, oral presentations given
during the semester, and a final written exam.
Attendance policy
Class attendance is compulsory.
Course textbook(s)
A selection of readings from various sources will be used, including:
For Contracts:
 H. Beale, B. Fauvarque-Cosson, J. Rutgers, D. Tallon, S. Vogenauer, Cases,
Materials and Text on Contract Law, 2nd ed., Hart Publishing, 2010
1
Studying Law at Roma Tre
Syllabus
For Torts:
 W. Van Gerven, Cases, Materials and Text on National, Supranational and
International Tort Law, Hart Publishing, 2000
Plus various cases as noted in the class schedule, below.
Supporting / Recommended course reading material
Non-compulsory selected readings will be recommended during the course for specific
topics
Course ScheduleClass
Topic and/or Activity
Pages /Cases
1. Mon. 8 Oct.
Introduction to private comparative
Law
2. Tue. 9 Oct.
EU and private law
pgs.3-37 Casebook on Contract Law
3. Wed. 10 Oct.
Contracts- general issues
pgs.39-45; 64-76 Casebook on
Contract Law
4. Mon. 15 Oct.
Contracts- foundations
1.House of Lords Hannah
Blumenthal, 1983;
2.BGH, 7 June 1984;;
3. Court of Appeals Hertogenbosch,
22 Jan.2008;
4. Cass. Com.,15 Feb 1961
5.Cass.com., 14 Jan. 1969;
6. Court of Appeal, Kleinwort
Benson Ltd. v. Malaysia Mining
Corp. Bhd., 1989
5. Tue. 16 Oct
Contracts- requirements
pgs.77-84; 169-172 Casebook on
Contract Law
1.Cass. Com., 6 April 1993;
2. Cass. Com. 22 October 1996
3. Cass. Civ. 3 July 1996
4.Court of Appeal Carlill v. Carbolic
Smoke Ball Co. 1893;
5. Privy Council Pao On v. Lau Yiu
Long, 1980
6. King’s Bench Stilk v. Myrick,1809
7. Queen’s Bench Division, Central
London Property Trust Ltd. v. High
Trees House Ltd., 1947
8. Court of Appeal, Crabb v. Arun
District Council, 1976
2
Studying Law at Roma Tre
Syllabus
6. Wed. 17 Oct.
Contracts- requirements
1. BGH, 18 October 1974;
2. BGH 22 April 1972;
3. House of Lords, Actionstrength
Limited v. International Glass
Engineering InGlEn SpA, 2003
4. Cass. Civ., 15 October 1991
7. Mon. 22 Oct.
Contracts-formation
1. Court of Appeal and House of
Lords Gibson v. Manchester City
Council 1978;
2. BGH 8 March 1984;
3. RG 25 October 1917;
4.Cass. civ. 17 December 1958;
5. Court of Appeal Dickinson v.
Dodds 1876;
6. Court of Appeal Butler Machine
Tool Co. Ltd. V. Ex-cell-O Corpn
Ltd. 1979
7. ECJ C-481/99 Heininger v.
Bayerische Hypo-und Vereinsbank
8. Tue. 23Oct.
Contracts- pre-contractual liability
1. House of Lords, Walford v. Miles
1992;
2. Cour d’Appel de Versailles, 5
March 1992;
3. Cour de cassation, Comm. 26
November 2003;
4. Cass. Comm. 20 March 1972;
5. Cass. Civ. 3e 3 October 1972;
6. House of Lords, Cobbe v.
Yeoman’s Row Management Ltd.
2008;
7. High Court of Australia Walton
Stores (Interstate) Ltd v. Maher
1987;
8. Supreme Court of Wisconsin,
Hoffman v. Red Owl Stores Inc.,
1965
9. Wed. 24 Oct.
Contracts- validity
1. Cass Ass plén. 31 May 1991
2. OLG Hamm, 2 December 1985
3. House of Lords Schroeder Music
Publishing Co v. Macaulay 1974
4. BG 23 May 1978
5.House of Lords Esso Petroleum
Co. Ltd. v. Harper’s Garage
(Stourport) Ltd., 1968
6. ECJ C-168/05, Mostaza Claro v
Centro Movil Milenium SL
3
Studying Law at Roma Tre
Syllabus
10. Mon. 29
Oct.
Contracts- interpretation
1. House of Lords Ashington
Piggeries Ltd v. Christopher Hill
Ltd. 1972;
2. BGH 12 March 1992;
3. Queen’s Bench Division Vitol BV
v. Compagnie européenne des
pétroles 1988;
4. House of Lords Chartbrook Ltd v.
Persimmon Ltd 2009;
5. BGH 19 March 1957
11. Tue. 30 Oct.
Contracts- supervening events
1. Cass. civ. 1re, 9 March 1994;
2. RG 3 February 1914;
3. King’s Bench Paradine v. Jane
1647
3.Queen’s Bench Taylor v. Caldwell
1863;
4. Court of Appeal, Krell v. Henry
1902;
5. Court of Appeal, Herne Bay Steam
Boat Co. v. Hutton, 1903;
6. Court of Appeal, Ocean Tramp
Tankers Corp v VO Sovracht, The
Eugenia, 1964
12. Wed. 31
Oct.
Contracts- supervening events
1. RG 3 February 1922;
2. RG 27 June 1922;
3. Chancery Division, Multiservice
Bookbinding v. Marden 1978;
4.BGH 25 May 1977;
5.Cass. civ. 1re, 27 June 1957
13. Mon. 5 Nov.
Contracts- remedies for nonPerformance
1. Cass. civ. 17 Nov. 1984;
2. BGH 10 October 1985;
3. Court of Appeal Patel v. Ali 1984;
4.Cass. Civ. 1re 28 April 1987;
5. Court of Appeal Hong Kong Fir
Shipping Co Ltd. v. Kawasaki Kisen
Kaisha 1962
6. BGH 21 June 1985
14.Tue. 6 Nov.
Contracts- remedies for nonperformance
1.Cass. civ. 22 Nov. 1893;
2. Court of Exchequer, Hadley v.
Baxendale 1854;
3.OLG Köln, 8 July 1982:
4.Cass. civ. 1re 16 January 1962;
5. Court of Appeal, Jarvis v. Swans
Tours 1973
6. ECJ, C-168/00 Simone Leitner v.
TUI Deutschland GmbH & Co KG
2002
7. ECJ C- 404/06 Quelle AG v
Bundesverband der
Verbraucherzentralen
4
Studying Law at Roma Tre
Syllabus
15. Wed. 7 Nov.
Relation between contract & torts
16. Mon. 12
Nov.
Torts- general issues
17. Tue. 13 Nov.
Torts- protection of life, physical
integrity, health and freedom
1. BGH, 30 April 1991
2. House of Lords, Alcock v. Chief
Constable of the South Yorkshire
Police,1992
3. Cass. civ. 1re, 16 July 1991
18. Wed. 14
Nov.
Torts – protection of personality
rights and privacy
1. BGH, 12 October 1993
2. Cour d’appel Paris, 13 March
1996
3. Court of Appeal, Kaye v.
Robertson, 1991
19. Mon. 19
Nov.
Torts – protection of ownership and
property rights
1. House of Lords, Cambridge Water
Co. v. Eastern Counties Leather Plc,
1994
2. Court of Appeal, Spartan Steel &
Alloys Ltd. v. Martin & Co. Ltd.
3. BGH, 9 December 1958;
4. Cass. Civ. 2e, 28 April 1965;
5.Cass. Civ. 2e, 8 May 1970;
6. Conseil d’Etat 2 June 1972;
7. Corte di Cass., 4 May 1982
20. Tue. 20 Nov. Torts –protection of economic
interests
1.House of Lords Donoghue v.
Stevenson,1932;
2. House of Lords, Hedley Byrne &
Co. Ltd. v. Heller & Partners Ltd.
3. Cass. civ. 7 May 1989;
4. RG, 7 Dec.1911
5. Court of Appeal, Ward v Tesco
Stores Ltd., 1976
6.Cass. civ., 11 Jan 1989
1. Court of Appeal Rickless v. United
Artists Corporation, 1988;
2. House of Lords Caparo Industries
Plc v. Dickman 1990;
3. BGH, 26 November 1986;
4. Cass. comm. 17 October 1984;
5. Cass. civ. 1re, 21 February 1995;
21. Wed. 21
Nov.
Torts –wrongfulness
1. Cass. civ. 2e, 14 June 1972;
2. BGH 20 October 1987;
3.BGH, 29 January 1991;
4.House of Lords, Glasgow
Corporation v. Muir, 1943
22. Mon. 26
Nov.
Torts – causation
1. BGH, 2 July 1991
2. Cass. civ., 2e, 3 October 1990
3. Privy Council, Overseas Tankship
Ltd. v. Morts Dock & Engineering
Co. Ltd., 1961
4. House of Lords, Hughes v. Lord
Advocate, 1963
5. House of Lords, Donaghey v.
Boulton & Paul Ltd., 1968
5
Studying Law at Roma Tre
Syllabus
23. Tue. 27 Nov.
Torts – liability not based on
conduct
1. BGH, 15 October 1970
2. Cass. Ch. réun., 13 February 1930
3. Cass. civ. 2e, 19 March 1980
4.Cass. civ. 2e, 8 July 1992
5. House of Lords, Read v. J. Lyons
& Co. Ltd., 1947
24. Wed. 28
Nov.
Torts –product liability
1. BGH, 26 November 1968;
[[2. OLG Düsseldorf, 29 November
1996;
3. BGH, 12 November 1991]]];
2. Cass. civ. 1re, 9 July 1996
3. ECJ Case C-127/04, 9 February
2006, Declan O’Byrne v. Sanofi
Pasteur
25. Mon. 3 Dec.
Torts- product liability
1.Privy Council, Grant v. Australian
Knitting Mills, 1935
2. BGH, 9 May 1995
3. Cass. civ. 1re, 3 March 1998
4.ECJ C-402/03 Skov Aeg v. Bilka
26. Tue. 4 Dec.
Unjust enrichment-
1. Queen’s Bench Division British
Steel Corporation v. Cleveland
Bridge 1984
2. Cass Civ. 28 February 1939
3. Cass. Civ. 2 March 1915
4.OLG Hamm, 9 Jan 1974
27. Wed. Dec. 5
European private law-
1. ECJ, Freiburger Kommunalbauten
GmbH Baugesellschaft & Co. KG v.
Ludger Hofstetter, 2004
28.Mon. Dec. 10
European private law-
Additional suggested readings:
 R. Sacco, Legal Formants: A Dynamic Approach to Comparative Law, in 39 Am. J.
Comp. L. 1 (I) and 346 (II) (1991)
 G. Wagner The Economics of Harmonization. The Case of Contract Law, in 39
Common Market Law Review 995 (2002)
 R. Zimmermann, The Present State of European Private Law, in 57 Am. J. Comp. 479
(2009)
6