Blog

Subcontractor delays: choose your weapon

What should be the contractor’s remedy when a subcontractor is running late? Under freedom to contract, the parties can decide their rights, remedies, obligations and liabilities – they are masters of their contractual fate. The choice is between recovering an uncertain amount provided you can prove breach and loss in

Read More »

Unenforceable conditions

When writing a contract, you may be tempted to use the kitchen sink approach ie shove in terms that you like… irrespective of whether they: help you do business build trust create clarity manage expectations avoid disputes One type of term, which surely meets none of these aims for a

Read More »

Catastrophic conditions precedent

Last week I was working with a specialist subcontractor client to improve their management of contractual risk (as their MD put it). As part of a workshop on Contract Awareness, I asked various staff to read a variety of T&C and answer questions such as: when are you going to

Read More »
A circular image showing the plan, make and use stages for contracting as well as describing some of the tasks making up those stages. The outer circle has arrows to show that this should be a continual process of improvement. Image copyright Sarah Fox
Sarah Fox

What are smart contracts?

A smart contract means a ‘computer protocol intended to digitally facilitate, verify, or enforce the negotiation or performance of a contract.’ [source] From this definition, a smart contract is just the code – it has been said that it is neither smart nor a contract! More recently, the Law Commission

Read More »

What is a condition precedent?

A condition precedent is a clause or term which one party MUST comply with before it is entitled to other rights or remedies. It’s like a contract bouncer – if you don’t have the right code then you don’t get in. Examples The UK standard forms contain a selection of

Read More »

Write your contract in just 500 words

Many years ago, I sat in Ed’s diner at Euston Station (London) waiting for my train. I was chatting to my sister and she challenged me to write a contract in just 500 words. In a rash moment I agreed, and being a woman of my word, I had to

Read More »

Hope is not a contract strategy

One of the key problems with contracts is knowing how and when to use them effectively. This decision should be part of a clear contract strategy. Even if you don’t have a mature contract strategy, any strategy is better than hope! As fellow speaker and internet marketing expert, Ian Brodie,

Read More »

Choosing Model Form MF/1

One of my favourite standard forms is MF/1 the IET Model Form of Contract for the design, supply and installation of electrical, electronic and mechanical plant. It is clear, logically ordered and user-friendly. [It used to be printed on pink paper but that’s not why I like it.] This post

Read More »

Choosing Model Form MF/4

Following my recent webinar for the IChemE Special Interest Group, I ended up debating the relative merits of the IChemE Professional Services Contract (Short Form, 2015) and the IET/IMechE MF/4. This post outlines some of the aspects you need to consider when choosing MF/4 as part of your contract strategy.

Read More »

Choosing IChemE Silver Book

Following my recent webinar for the IChemE Special Interest Group, I was asked to comment on their new Professional Services Contract (Short Form, 2015). The IChemE PSC Short Form was published to provide the IChemE’s members with a ‘standard form’ consultancy agreement for services of a “relatively low contract price

Read More »