http://www.crowell.com/Global/RSS.aspxThe latest Newsletters from Crowell & Moring.In an April 27, 2010 decision with important implications for reinsurance arbitrations, Stolt-Nielsen S.A., et al. v. AnimalFeeds Int'l Corp., the United States Supreme Court held that it is inconsistent with the Federal Arbitration Act ("FAA") to impose class arbitration on parties where the applicable arbitration clause is silent on the issue. The litigation in Stolt-Nielsen arose from a shipping contract known as a "charter party." The charter party contract (between shipping companies and their customer AnimalFeeds) was a highly standardized contract containing an arbitration clause that did not address class arbitration. After AnimalFeeds learned of a Department of Justice investigation of the shipping companies, it brought a class action suit against the shipping companies in federal court asserting antitrust claims of alleged price fixing. The suit was consolidated with similar actions, including one in which the Second Circuit Court of Appeals eventually determined that the claims were arbitrable. The ...http://www.crowell.com/NewsEvents/Newsletter.aspx?id=14755/3/2010 12:00:00 AM