NUS visiting fellow Ardavan Arzandeh in conversation
Dr Ardavan Arzandeh is Associate Professor at the National University Singapore (NUS). The focus of his research is on commercial conflict of laws. In the context of an exchange program between NUS and Max Planck Law, he conducted research at the Institute in April 2026.
Dr Arzandeh, whose work has been cited in decisions of the UK Supreme Court, the US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, and the High Court of Hong Kong, is an internationally sought-after expert. While in Hamburg, he focused on a project concerning the recognition and enforcement of foreign insolvency judgments. The project revisits the UK Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Rubin v Eurofinance SA and New Cap Reinsurance Corp v Grant [2012] UKSC 46. In particular, it examines why the Court’s conclusion that no special rules govern the recognition or enforcement of foreign insolvency judgments in England is likely to pose difficulties in cross border insolvency proceedings, and considers what steps may best mitigate these challenges.
“Even for someone anchored in common law – such as myself – the civil law tradition offers valuable perspectives,” says the legal scholar hailing from England. Having earned his doctorate and taught for several years at the University of Bristol, he relocated to NUS in 2021. He keeps a regular eye on the development of European law and finds the thought processes and proposed solutions of civil law systems to be intriguing sources of inspiration. “Scholarship also depends on personal exchange,“ he is convinced. „It is often through conversations that we gain key insights into legal systems other than our own.“ Shortly after his stay in Hamburg, Dr Arzandeh is returning to Europe, this time for a visiting professorship at the University of Vienna. We hope to welcome him back to the Institute again soon.
Image: © private
