I now pronounce you ‘null and void’: manner of determination and the applicable law under the New York Convention

Abstract

Abstract The phrase ‘null and void, inoperative or incapable of being performed’ contained in Article II(3) of the New York Convention has attracted relatively little attention in the international arbitration community. It nonetheless retains the potential to have a significant impact on arbitration agreements. This article considers the meaning of ‘null and void’ and highlights the current varied understandings and applications of this term, before re-iterating support for an application of an internationally neutral understanding of the term. What this article seeks to ultimately achieve is to provoke further consideration of the terms ‘null and void’, with a view to ensuring greater clarity and uniformity in its understanding and application in the long term.