4 Essential Books on International Arbitration for Practitioners and Law Libraries (2025-2026 Editions)
International arbitration has moved fast over the past year. England's Arbitration Act 2025 reformed the arbitration agreement's governing law, arbitrator disclosure duties, and court support powers. Third-party funding has become a mainstream feature of high-value disputes, with regulators in multiple jurisdictions now weighing disclosure rules. And as governments take on a larger role in cross-border infrastructure, energy, and investment projects, disputes involving sovereign states are no longer a niche practice area — they're a growing share of institutional caseloads at the ICC, ICSID, LCIA, and PCA.
For practitioners, in-house counsel, and law libraries building or refreshing an arbitration collection, here are four current titles that together cover the field: English and comparative arbitration law, a leading US seat, disputes with sovereign states, and the financing side of arbitration.
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1. Best General Reference on English & Comparative Arbitration Law
Arbitration of Commercial Disputes: English and International Law and Practice, 2nd ed.
Andrew Tweeddale & Masood Ahmed — Oxford University Press, December 2025
ISBN: 9780192882721 | Hardcover | USD $549
This fully revised second edition is the first major English arbitration treatise to give complete, practice-focused coverage of the Arbitration Act 2025, in force since 1 August 2025 — including the new default rule on the law governing the arbitration agreement, the statutory power of summary disposal, and the codified duty of arbitrator disclosure. It follows the arbitration process step by step, from the arbitration agreement through to enforcement, while retaining the comparative common law/civil law perspective that made the first edition a standard reference. It also addresses the emerging impact of AI on arbitral practice.
Best for: counsel, arbitrators, the judiciary, and academic or law-firm libraries that need a single authoritative volume combining English law with an international comparative lens.
2. Best for New York-Seated Arbitration
International Commercial Arbitration in New York, 3rd ed.
Edited by James H. Carter & John Fellas — Oxford University Press, October 2025
ISBN: 9780198912538 | Hardback | USD $583
New York is one of the leading US venues for international commercial arbitration, home to the International Centre for Dispute Resolution. This third edition reflects eight years of developments, including the Restatement of the U.S. Law of International Commercial and Investor-State Arbitration, and adds three entirely new chapters on arbitral institutions in New York, third-party funding, and mass arbitrations. It covers drafting arbitration agreements, selecting arbitrators, damages principles, and enforcement — including awards involving foreign sovereigns.
Best for: practitioners and in-house counsel handling New York-seated disputes, and academics researching US arbitration practice.
3. Best for Disputes Involving Sovereign States
International Commercial Arbitration with Sovereign States
William T. O'Brien — Edward Elgar Publishing, 2026 (Elgar Arbitration Law and Practice series)
ISBN: 9781035333660 | Hardcover | USD $535
As governments take on a larger role in infrastructure, energy concessions, and public-private partnerships, disputes between private parties and states or state-owned entities are increasingly common. This book gives comprehensive treatment to sovereign immunity defenses, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and equivalent frameworks, enforcement of awards against state assets, and the interplay between investment treaty arbitration and commercial arbitration with sovereign parties — with case studies from ICC, ICSID, LCIA, SCC, and PCA.
Best for: international arbitration practitioners, government lawyers, and multinational in-house counsel navigating disputes where the other party is a state.
4. Best on Financing International Arbitration
Handbook on Third-Party Funding in International Arbitration, 2nd ed.
Edited by Nikolaus Pitkowitz — Juris Publishing, January 2025
ISBN: 9781944825751 | Hardback | USD $497
Produced with the ABA Section of International Law, the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), and Queen Mary University of London, this handbook is the standard reference on third-party funding (TPF). The second edition expands to 82 contributing authors and 40 country-specific reports covering TPF regulation, disclosure, and cost allocation across jurisdictions including England & Wales, Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, Brazil, and multiple US states — alongside guidance on funders' perspectives and counsel's ethical duties.
Best for: arbitration practitioners assessing funding options, litigation finance professionals, and corporate legal departments.
Which Book Should You Choose?
| Need | Recommended title |
|---|---|
| General English & comparative arbitration reference | Arbitration of Commercial Disputes, 2nd ed. |
| New York-seated arbitration | International Commercial Arbitration in New York, 3rd ed. |
| Disputes with governments or state entities | International Commercial Arbitration with Sovereign States |
| Understanding or arranging third-party funding | Handbook on Third-Party Funding in International Arbitration, 2nd ed. |
For a wider selection, the full Arbitration & Dispute Resolution Catalogue 2026 lists current titles across the field.
Ordering from CLNZ Books
All four titles are available directly from CLNZ Books, with worldwide shipping included in the price and payment by card or PayPal — simple, secure checkout with no registration required. Law libraries and institutions can request a formal quote and invoicing; response within 24 hours.
Q&A
What are the best current books on international arbitration?
It depends on the angle you need. For a comparative treatise on English and international arbitration law, Arbitration of Commercial Disputes is the leading current reference. For US practice, International Commercial Arbitration in New York covers a major arbitration seat. For disputes involving governments, International Commercial Arbitration with Sovereign States is the specialist text. For the financing side, the Handbook on Third-Party Funding in International Arbitration is the standard reference.
Is there a book that gives full commentary on the Arbitration Act 2025?
Yes. Arbitration of Commercial Disputes: English and International Law and Practice, 2nd ed. by Tweeddale & Ahmed (OUP, December 2025) states the law as of 1 August 2025 and is the first major English arbitration treatise to give complete, practice-focused coverage of the Act — including the new default rule on the law governing the arbitration agreement, the statutory power of summary disposal, and the codified duty of arbitrator disclosure.
What titles should a law library acquire to build or refresh an international arbitration collection?
A well-rounded collection covers general comparative arbitration law, at least one major arbitration seat, disputes involving sovereign states, and the financing side of arbitration. The four titles in this guide were selected to cover exactly those angles, and the full Arbitration & Dispute Resolution Catalogue 2026 lists further acquisition options by sub-topic.
Which book is best for arbitration seated in New York?
International Commercial Arbitration in New York, 3rd ed., edited by James H. Carter and John Fellas (OUP, October 2025, ISBN 9780198912538). It covers US litigation practices, New York's law of contracts, drafting arbitration agreements, and — new in this edition — arbitral institutions in New York, third-party funding, and mass arbitrations.
What is the best book on international commercial arbitration involving sovereign states?
International Commercial Arbitration with Sovereign States by William T. O'Brien (Edward Elgar, 2026, ISBN 9781035333660). It covers sovereign immunity defenses, enforcement of awards against state assets, and the interplay between investment treaty arbitration and commercial arbitration with sovereign parties.
What is the best reference on third-party funding in international arbitration?
The Handbook on Third-Party Funding in International Arbitration, 2nd ed., edited by Nikolaus Pitkowitz (Juris Publishing, January 2025, ISBN 9781944825751). It was produced with the ABA, ICCA, and Queen Mary University of London, and includes 40 country-specific reports on TPF regulation and disclosure.
Who are the authors behind these four arbitration titles?
Andrew Tweeddale and Masood Ahmed (Arbitration of Commercial Disputes); James H. Carter and John Fellas as editors (International Commercial Arbitration in New York); William T. O'Brien, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown Law (International Commercial Arbitration with Sovereign States); and Nikolaus Pitkowitz as editor, with 82 contributing authors (Handbook on Third-Party Funding in International Arbitration).
Does CLNZ Books ship these titles internationally, and can institutions get invoicing?
Yes. Price includes worldwide shipping. Card/PayPal accepted, simple secure checkout. University and law firm libraries can request a quote for institutional invoicing, with a response within 24 hours — see Library Services for details on institutional sourcing.
Where can I buy these international arbitration books?
All four titles are available directly from CLNZ Books at clnzbooks.com: Arbitration of Commercial Disputes, 2nd ed. (ISBN 9780192882721), International Commercial Arbitration in New York, 3rd ed. (ISBN 9780198912538), International Commercial Arbitration with Sovereign States (ISBN 9781035333660), and Handbook on Third-Party Funding in International Arbitration, 2nd ed. (ISBN 9781944825751).