International Commercial Law is a central area of research, teaching and consulting activity of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) at Queen Mary University of London. Professor Sir Roy Goode, founder of CCLS, taught international aspects of commercial law and the leading figure of 20th century international commercial law, the late Professor Clive Schmitthoff, was part of CCLS. Clive M Schmitthoff defined modern international commercial law, originally referred to as Export Trade Law or International Trade Law and focused particularly on the internationalisation and transnationalisation of business transactions and the emergence of transnational commercial law rules and lex mercatoria. His seminal book on Export Trade Law reflects his views and legacy.
The Centre for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary University of London is the home of Clive M Schmitthoff Foundation since 1996 for the advancement of research and study of the law of international trade and of related subjects in commercial law. The Foundation has been established in the Centre in memory of the late Professor Schmitthoff.