This work investigates the legitimacy and methodology of applying private law principles to resolve disputes within the framework of international law. Sir Hersch Lauterpacht, a preeminent jurist and judge at the International Court of Justice, utilizes his extensive expertise in legal philosophy to examine how domestic legal concepts can inform international adjudication. He argues that the absence of a comprehensive international code necessitates the use of analogies from private law to fill gaps in international legal practice, particularly within the context of international arbitration.

This text is widely regarded as a foundational contribution to the study of international jurisprudence and the development of arbitration law. The author's meticulous approach provides a dense, scholarly examination that remains a standard reference for legal practitioners and academics interested in the intersection of domestic and international legal systems.