An LC's independence from the underlying transaction it supports is one of the core tenets that distinguishes this instrument type from other promises. When disputes arise, courts at times have given uneven treatment to independent undertakings with regard to the independence principle.
International trade depends on two inseparable flows: the movement of goods and the movement of money. When goods stop moving, payments stop moving — and when both stall, global trade seizes up. The near total closure of the Strait of Hormuz has exposed this reality with exceptional clarity.
In the latest installment of this annual survey article series, Carter Klein examines the most significant letter of credit issues emerging from cases decided in 2024.