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27 March 2026 / Gustavo Moser
Issue: 8155 / Categories: Features , Commercial , Practice areas
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Force majeure & the reallocation of risk

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In a volatile world, force majeure clauses are now part of the structure of international contracts, writes Gustavo Moser
  • Force majeure clauses now function as strategic tools for allocating extraordinary risk in volatile and conflict-driven environments.
  • Carefully calibrated triggers, causation analysis and mitigation standards determine when relief is available.
  • Coherent drafting and governing law choices ensure force majeure operates consistently within a broader contractual risk framework.

In recent years, international commerce has been shaped by developments few contracting parties fully anticipated: pandemic, armed conflicts, cyber disruption, regulatory intervention, sanctions regimes and supply chain fragility. Increasingly, however, armed conflict and conflict-adjacent war-risk events, ranging from hostilities and regional instability to infrastructure damage and transport network disruption, have become recurring stress tests for cross-border agreements.

Although the nature and frequency of disruption have evolved, the legal analysis has not fundamentally changed. Whether conflict-related developments, such as shipping rerouting, port disruption, sanctions, insurance constraints or energy volatility engage a force majeure (FM) continues to depend on familiar considerations: the contractual

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DWF—David Abbott & Claire Keat

DWF—David Abbott & Claire Keat

Senior appointments in insurance services and commercial services announced

Clyde & Co—Nick Roberts

Clyde & Co—Nick Roberts

Aviation disputes practice strengthened by London partner hire

Ellisons—Marion Knocker

Ellisons—Marion Knocker

Residential property lawyer promoted to partnership

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