Prof. Adrian Briggs
Des Voeux Chambers Visiting Professor
Biography
Adrian Briggs was Fellow and Tutor in Law at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, and Professor of Private International Law at the University of Oxford from 1980 until 2021, when he retired from both positions and became Emeritus Fellow and Emeritus Professor. For some years he taught criminal law, Roman law; but for the entire period of 41 years he taught contract, land law, and the Conflict of Laws.
The Conflict of Laws was his principal scholarly interest. Almost all of his published research was in this field, with a particular focus on the private international law of jurisdiction and foreign judgments. For many years this required principles of European Union law, which had been incorporated into English law from 1 January 1987, to be fitted in alongside the common law and parliamentary statutes. Each was administered by a single court, but without any sense of fusion of doctrine. As European rules of private international law brought with them principles of European law of more general application, fitting it all together (for where they conflicted, rules of European law prevailed) was a constant challenge. When the United Kingdom departed from the EU, the work had to be undone. This was not a simple matter of separation, but was more like removing the eggs from a cake after it had been baked.
He has been a member of Blackstone Chambers, in the Temple, since 1990, where he continues to practice (almost entirely in an advisory capacity) in the field of private international law, broadly interpreted. He was made KC (Hon) in 2016, and a Bencher of the Middle Temple in 2024.
His interest in the laws of Myanmar dates from a period when the University of Oxford was assisting law schools in Yangon to get back on their feet when a democratic system of government (if only loosely so described) was introduced in Myanmar. This participation was abruptly terminated by Covid, and then by the junta which seized and retains state power. The textbook on the Law of Contract in Myanmar, co-written with Andrew Burrows (now Lord Burrows JSC) and available for free download on the website of the Faculty of Law in Oxford, is the piece of work which gave the greatest satisfaction.
Publications
Books: as sole author (current editions)
Briggs, Private International Law in English Courts (Oxford) 2nd edition 2023
Briggs, Civil Jurisdiction & Judgments (Routledge) 8th edn, 2025 (editions 1 to 5 were published, by Informa, as Briggs & Rees, Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments)
Briggs: Agreements on Jurisdiction and Choice of Law (Oxford) 1st edn, 2008
Briggs: The Conflict of Laws (Clarendon Press) 5th edn 2024
Briggs: Private International Law in Myanmar, 2016
Books: as major contributor
Dicey, Morris & Collins, The Conflict of Laws: one of the team of editors working under the general editorship of Lord Collins of Mapesbury. I worked on the 13th edition (2000), the 14th edition (2006), and the 15th edition (2012), as well as on annual Supplements
Burrows (ed), English Private Law: Chapter on Private International Law (Oxford): 3rd edn, 2013
Briggs & Burrows: The Law of Contract in Myanmar, 2017
Articles and surveys:
(a) conflict of jurisdictions and of judgments: common law
The Death of Henry v Geoprosco [2026] LMCLQ 1
Between Recognition and non-recognition: Foreign Judgments, Evidence, and Arbitration in Ho & Low (eds) A Gentleman of the Law (2026), ch 7
Submission to a Russian court: [2025] LMCLQ 235
Restoring order to international arbitration: [2025] LMCLQ 6
The Hague Judgments Convention 2019: [2024] LMCLQ 458
When arbitration matters: [2024] LMCLQ 30
Reframing Jurisdiction: A New Scheme (with A Dickinson): [2022] 41 CJQ 317
The long arm of the law: [2021] LMCLQ 223
A conflict of comity in the enforcement of judgments: [2021] LMCLQ 1
What do you mean, ‘non exclusive’ ?: [2019] LMCLQ 329
Service out: communis error frangit ius: [2019] LMCLQ 195
Holiday torts and damage within the jurisdiction: [2018] LMCLQ 196
Direct actions and arbitration: all at sea: [2016] LMCLQ 327
The hidden depths of the law of jurisdiction: [2016] LMCLQ 236
Judicial Assistance still in need of judicial assistance: [2015] LMCLQ 179
In for a penny, in for a pound: [2013] LMCLQ 26
Recognition of Foreign Judgments: a Matter of Obligation: (2013) 129 LQR 87
The Subtle Variety of Jurisdiction Agreements: [2012] LMCLQ 364
Forum non satis: Spiliada and an inconvenient truth: [2011] LMCLQ 329
Foreign Judgments: the common law flexes its muscles: (2011) 17 Trusts & Trees 328
Recognition: foreign judgments or insolvency proceedings? [2010] LMCLQ 523
Enforcing and reinforcing an English judgment: [2008] LMCLQ 421
Note on Fiona Trust v Privalov: [2008] LMCLQ 1
Recognition and enforcement of Russian Judgments in England: Vyestnik 2006, 3, 77
Foreign Judgments and Human Rights: USA v Montgomery: (2005) 121 LQR 185
Crossing the river by feeling the stones: re-thinking the law on foreign judgments: (2004) 8 Singapore Year Book of International Law 1
Anti-suit injunctions in a Complex World: in Rose (ed), Lex Mercatoria: Essays in International Commercial Law, ch 12
Self-restraint in the High Court of Australia: (1998) 114 LQR 27
The unrestrained reach of an anti-suit injunction: [1997] LMCLQ 90
Note on Seaconsar v Bank Markazi: [1994] LMCLQ 1
Note on The Indian Grace: [1993] LMCLQ 451
Jurisdiction clauses and judicial attitudes: (1993) 109 LQR 382
Foreign judgments: more surprises: (1992) 108 LQR 549
Forum non conveniens in Australia: (1989) 105 LQR 200
Wider still and wider: the bounds of Australian exorbitant jurisdiction: [1989] LMCLQ 216
Restraint of foreign proceedings: [1987] LMCLQ 391
Which foreign judgments should we recognise today?: (1987) 36 ICLQ 240
Forum non conveniens: the last word?: [1987] LMCLQ 1
The validity of floating choice of law and jurisdiction clauses: [1986] LMCLQ 508
Forum non conveniens: an update: [1985] LMCLQ 360
The staying of actions on the ground of forum non conveniens: [1984] LMCLQ 227
Forum non conveniens: now we are ten? (1983) 3 Legal Studies 74
No interference with foreign courts? (1982) 31 ICLQ 189
(b) conflict of jurisdictions and judgments: European rules
The Empire strikes back: (note on M/T Prestige) [2024] LMCLQ 3
Arbitration in Europe: the Luxembourg Torpedo (note on M/T Prestige) [2022] LMCLQ 543
One-sided jurisdiction clauses: French folly and Russian menace: [2013] LMCLQ 137
What should be done about jurisdiction agreements? (2011) 12 Yearbook of Private International Law 311
The Rejection of Abuse in International Civil Procedure: de la Feria and Vogenauer (eds), Prohibition of Abuse of Law (2011), ch 18
Timeo danaos on the Rock of Gibraltar: (2010) 126 LQR 20
Fear and Loathing in Luxembourg and Syracuse (note on West Tankers): [2009] LMCLQ 161
Who is bound by the Brussels Regulation? (note on Samengo-Turner): [2007] LMCLQ 433
Jurisdiction over defences and connected claims: [2006] LMCLQ 447
Learning to learn from others in Europe (with B. Dohmann QC): Festschrift für Peter Schlosser zum 70. Geburtstag, p. 161
Note on Réunion Européenne: [1999] LMCLQ 333
The Impact of Recent Judgments of the European Court on English Procedural Law and Practice: [2005] Zeitschrift für Schweizerisches Recht (2005) 124 II 231
Forum non conveniens and Ideal Europeans: [2005] LMCLQ 378
Note on Owusu v Jackson: (2005) 121 LQR 535
Anti-suit Injunctions and Utopian Ideals (note on Turner v Grovit): (2004) 120 LQR 529
Some points of friction between English and Brussels Convention jurisdiction: Andenas & Jacobs (eds), European Community Law in the English Courts, Ch 19.
Note on Pearce v Ove Arup and Suzo v Coin Controls: (1997) 113 LQR 360
Note on Marinari v Lloyd’s Bank: [1996] LMCLQ 27
Note on The Tatry: [1995] LMCLQ 161
Note on The Sargasso: [1994] LMCLQ 470
Note on Webb v Webb: (1994) 110 LQR 526
Note on Continental Bank v Aeakos: [1994] LMCLQ 158
Get your writs out? (Note on The Duke of Yare): [1992] LMCLQ 150
Jurisdiction over restitutionary claims: [1992] LMCLQ 283
The Brussels Convention reaches the House of Lords: (1992) 108 LQR 186
Foreign judgments and the Brussels Convention: (1991) 107 LQR 531
Forum non conveniens and the Brussels Convention again: (1991) 107 LQR 180
Spiliada and the Brussels Convention: [1991] LMCLQ 10
(c) conflict of laws
What is left of the Brussels I Regulation in the English conflict of laws ? (2024) 20 JPIL 539
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company v Shand and Lloyd v Guibert (1865): in Day & Merrett (eds), Landmark Cases in Private International Law (2023), ch 2
Render unto Caesar (note on SKAT v Solo Partners): [2022] LMCLQ 345
Which law applies ? A role for private international law: in Lim (ed) Cambridge Companion to International Arbitration (2021): ch 4
Private International Law and the Privy Council: in Mitchell and Watterson (eds), The World of Maritime and Commercial Law: Essays in Honour of Francis Rose (2020), ch 7
Brexit and Private International Law: an English perspective: [2019] RDIPP 261
Comity in Private International Law: Vol 354 Recueil des cours (2012), pp 1-129 (Hague Lectures, 2011)
The Development of Principle by a Final Court of Appeal in Matters of Private
International Law, in Lee (ed) From House of Lords to Supreme Court (2011), ch 8
Restitution and not-so-local authority swaps (with J Edelman): (2010) 126 LQR 500
When in Rome, choose as the Romans choose: (2009) 125 LQR 191
Misappropriated and Misapplied Assets in the Conflict of Laws: in Degeling & Edelman (eds) Unjust Enrichment in Commercial Law (2008), ch 3
Contractual Agreements on choice of law: in Burrows & Peel (eds), Contract Terms (2007), ch 15
A Map or a Maze: Jurisdiction and choice of law in the Court of Appeal: (2007) 11 Singapore Year Book of International Law 132
The cost of suppressing insurrection: (2007) 123 LQR 182
The further consequences of choice of law: (2007) 123 LQR 18
The Meaning and Proof of Foreign Law: [2006] LMCLQ 1
On the Application of the Statute Law of Singapore within its Private International Law: [2005] Sing JLS 189
Public-private law protective schemes and the conflict of laws: [2004] LMCLQ 313
Owing, owning and the garnishing of foreign debts: [2003] LMCLQ 418
On drafting agreements on choice of law: [2003] LMCLQ 389
The real scope of European rules for choice of law: (2003) 119 LQR 352
The Duke of Brunswick and defamation by internet: (2003) 119 LQR 210
Choice of Choice of Law: [2003] LMCLQ 12
Public Policy in the Conflict of Laws: A Sword and a Shield?: (2002) 6 Sing J. Int & Comp L. 953
The Revenue Rule in the Conflict of Laws: Time for a makeover: [2001] Singapore J.L.S. 280
Jurisdiction at common law over restitutionary claims: Rose (ed), Restitution and the Conflict of Laws, ch 2
In praise and defence of renvoi: (1998) 47 ICLQ 877
From complexity to anti-climax: restitution and choice of law: [1996] Restitution LR 88
Choice of law in restitutionary claims: [1995] Restitution LR 94
Choice of law in Tort and Delict: The Private International Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1995: [1995] LMCLQ 519
The international dimension to contribution claims: [1995] LMCLQ 437
Note on Red Sea Insurance v Bouygues: (1995) 111 LQR 18
The formation of international contracts: [1990] LMCLQ 192
Conflict of laws: postponing the future: (1989) 9 Ox JLS 251
Tort in the conflict of laws: (1989) 105 LQR 359
Garnishment of an English debt: foreign complications: [1988] LMCLQ 429
What did Boys v Chaplin decide?: (1983) 12 Anglo-Am LR 237
Polygamous marriages and English domiciliaries: (1983) 32 ICLQ 737
(d) Annual surveys
Survey of cases on the Brussels Convention in the Court of Justice of the EC: annual volumes of the Yearbook of European Law from 1988 to 1997
Decisions of British Courts on questions of Private International Law: annual volumes of the British Year Book of International Law European Law from 1996 to 2009
(e) lectures of particular note not otherwise published
Secession from the EU and Private International Law: The Cloud with a Silver Lining: https://www.combar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Prof-Adrian-Briggs-QC-Brexit-lecture-24.1.17.pdf
(f) other English law
The Sound of Silence (note on Barton v Morris): [2023] LMCLQ 355
Co-ownership and an Equitable Non-Sequitur (note on Jones v Kernott) (2012) 128 LQR 183
In defence of manslaughter [1983] Crim LR 764
(g) Myanmar Contract Law
Chapters on Myanmar contract law in Volume 2 (Formation and Third Party Beneficiaries; 2018); Volume 3 (Contents of Contract and Unfair Terms; 2020); Volume 4 (Invalidity; 2022); Volume 5 (Ending and Changing Contracts; 2026) of Studies in the Contract Laws of Asia (eds Chen-Wishart, Sono and Vogenauer) (Oxford); Volume 6 (Illegality and Public Policy; due 2027).