The concept of “characteristic performance, ” used in conflicts law to determine which country’s law applies in the absence of an express or implied choice of law, has been incorporated into Article 4 of the Draft Convention on the Law Applicable to Contractual and Non-Contractual Obligations. In this article, Professor Lipstein examines the purpose, history, and criticisms of the concept of “characteristic performance” and concludes by supporting the use by the Member States of characteristic performance as a means of determining the legal system governing the contract as a whole.
