What the service includes
Most contract disputes arise not from a counterparty’s bad faith but from wording that seemed clear at the time of signing. We draft and review contracts so that the terms unambiguously protect the client’s interests whatever happens.
We work both on one-off reviews of a specific contract and on building a contract management system for the company, with uniform templates and an approval procedure that reduce disputes for years to come.
We do not stop at editing wording. We explain to the client in plain language what each contentious term means in practice and what it threatens in a typical conflict. Where contracts are of one type and concluded regularly, such as supply, works and services, we develop a template and a matrix of permitted deviations, so that the client’s staff can agree standard terms themselves without involving a lawyer in every deal. Separately, we work through scenarios of unilateral termination and the steps to take if a counterparty stops responding.
What the service includes:
Who it is for
The situations clients most often bring to us on this topic.
How we work
A fixed fee and a clear plan of action, agreed before work begins. The timeframes below are indicative and depend on the complexity of the case.
Understanding the task
We understand what the parties actually want from the deal, which determines which terms are critical and which are merely formal. Timeframe: 1 day.
Drafting or review
We draft the contract from scratch or review the version proposed by the counterparty, flagging real risks and not just typos. Timeframe: 2-5 days.
Negotiating the terms
Where needed, we take part in negotiations with the counterparty on the disputed clauses. Timeframe: as agreed.
Support during performance
If disagreements arise while the contract is being performed, we help to resolve them without going to court. Timeframe: as needed.
What you will need at the start
We confirm the exact list for your situation at the consultation. This is a guide so that you arrive at the first meeting prepared.
Key figures
Experience in this practice area specifically, not in practice as a whole.
Common mistakes
The contract was signed from an internet template. The parties take a generic sample and do not adapt it to the real terms of the deal. At the critical moment, whether late delivery, poor-quality goods or refusal to pay, the text simply contains no mechanism for protection.
The counterparty is not checked before signing. The company is content with a visual check of the partner’s details and does not look at its financial standing or litigation history, and then finds it cannot recover a debt because the counterparty has no assets.
Liability of the parties is drafted as a formality. The liability section is copied from a standard contract with no link to the real amounts of potential loss or to time limits, so if the terms are breached it proves hard to recover compensation that covers the business’s actual losses.
What you get
A contract with the risk clauses closed off. The wording protects the client’s interests unambiguously, whatever happens with the counterparty.
A clear explanation of the risks in business language. The client understands what each contentious term means, rather than simply seeing legal mark-up.
A template for repeat deals. For regular operations, you get a template that can be used without a lawyer on every deal.
An action plan for a counterparty’s breach. It is clear in advance what to do in the event of late performance, refusal to perform or the counterparty disappearing.
Related
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to review one contract?+
It depends on the length and complexity of the document. We quote a fixed fee once we have seen the contract itself.
Do you draft standard templates for a company?+
Yes, this is a separate service. Uniform contract templates and a procedure for approving them reduce the number of disputes and speed up the work of the in-house legal team.
What if the counterparty refuses to change the terms it has proposed?+
We will work out which clauses are critical and which can be given up in negotiation. Not every term is worth blowing up the deal over.
Do you work with international contracts?+
Yes, including questions of governing law and currency control where the counterparty is a foreign company.
Who is responsible if a contract was drafted incorrectly and this caused losses?+
If the contract was prepared by a staff member without the relevant expertise, the losses fall entirely on the company. That is why key contracts are worth sending for independent legal review before signing.
How often should a company’s standard contract forms be reviewed?+
We review a company’s templates at least once a year and whenever there is a significant change in legislation or case law, because wording that worked yesterday may not protect against a new type of dispute tomorrow.