Glenn Hendrix, a partner with the law firm of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP in Atlanta, has been appointed by the U.S. Department of State as one of two delegates to a special commission of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
The Hague Conference is an inter-governmental organization composed of 62 member states that draft and negotiate multilateral treaties related to private international law.
Alongside an attorney from the U.S. Department of State, Mr. Hendrix is to represent the United States in discussion of two international treaties that govern cooperation between nations in matters of cross-border service and evidence gathering during a meeting in the Netherlands, Oct. 28-Nov. 4.
On the agenda for the upcoming session, Mr. Hendrix told GlobalFax, is a review of the “service convention,” which sets procedures for how parties in one country can serve papers initiating a lawsuit in another country.
Also under review is the “evidence convention,” which regulates administrative and government procedures for obtaining evidence or testimony from someone in a foreign country.
The latter is of particular concern for U.S. lawyers, whose requests for evidence or testimony in another country are often termed too broad – “fishing expeditions” – and rejected, said Mr. Hendrix.
Related to the service convention, discussion is likely to extend to the formation of policy for serving legal papers electronically.
The delegates are additionally to come up with the final draft of a practical handbook on the tenets of the service convention, for use by attorneys globally, he added.
Mr. Hendrix currently serves as chair of the American Bar Association‘s international litigation committee.
For additional information, contact Mr. Hendrix at (404) 873-8500.