Clive M. Schmitthoff was one of the most renowned twentieth century legal academics and practitioners in the field of international trade law. He was a significant driving force in unifying modern international trade law: the establishment of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) was based on his works. Furthermore, and in particular, Schmitthoff is considered - alongside Berthold Goldman - a founding father of the theory of a modern lex mercatoria.

The present study is dedicated to the life and work of the lawyer Clive M. Schmitthoff. Its thematic focus is directed towards Schmitthoff's concept of a transnational international trade law, which is considered to be a foundational theory of a modern lex mercatoria. The volume's main focus is the question of what prompted Schmitthoff to formulate the theses of his theory on a transnational trade law. Applying an analytical approach, Hendrike Wulfert-Markert examines the inextricable links between Schmitthoff's scholarly works and his biography in a bid to trace the evolution of his observations and ideas on the development of a new international law. The author contends that no singular event inspired Schmitthoff's key concept; instead, various contexts proved essential for its emergence, particularly his international perspective that of a lawyer with expertise in comparative law and educated in both Western legal systems, those of civil and common law.

Autorentext
Geboren 1983; Studium der Rechtswissenschaften in Kiel, Hamburg und Paris, Frankreich; Juristischer Vorbereitungsdienst im Oberlandesgerichtsbezirk Hamm mit Stationen in Köln und Nairobi, Kenia; 2017 Promotion; seit 2011 Rechtsanwältin in Frankfurt am Main.