When I created my first 500-word contract, some of the feedback I got from lawyers was that it was too short and didn’t cover everything. Well duh! At just 500 words it cannot be fully comprehensive, but it can be far more comprehensible. Read the full edition here How can you be more
When you eat at a restaurant, are you bothered by the tasks involved or time taken, or are you simply interested in whether you are eating good food? If we wouldn’t tell a chef how to poach an egg (do their job), why do so many contracts focus on telling
How long do you have to give a recalcitrant contractor to get their act together, before you are allowed to give up and get someone else to finish your project? The issue of termination is fraught with pitfalls, but cases can help you understand your rights. Cheating on a client
How many of you read the on-line terms and conditions? According to data from PLAIN it is less than 0.22% who even bother to skim read them. If your contract is a tool to help you do business, it should be one that readers pay attention to. Read the full
There is a growing global movement towards plain language contracts, especially for individuals or consumers. What does plain language mean and is it enough? What is plain language? According to the Plain Language Federation (and this is the definition in the proposed new ISO on the topic): A communication is
We have never met anyone without a legal background who enjoys working with contracts So starts a 2013 paper by Stefania Passera and Helena Haapio which rues the fact that contracts have become stuff for lawyers rather than as a framework for successful deals and the relationships between a supply
The traditional image of contracts was between masters and servants. But in this hyper-connected world, we need a new approach. A better contractual approach is based on liberal generosity. Read the full edition here Learning to roll with the punches… contractually: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_q76I_qAN4
There is no point having a simple and effective set of terms and conditions (T&C) if you don’t manage to get them included in your contracts. If you haven’t managed to get a contract signed, can T&C printed on the reverse of your invoices count? Incorporating T&C There are a
On the front flap of A New Approach to the Standard Form of Building Contract (which refers to the 1963 RIBA form), the publishers say: By the nature of its legal terminology and complex provisions, [the form] is extremely difficult to apply in everyday practice without constant advice The book
As you know, I believe one of the key things missing from contractual relationships is trust. The prevailing view is that smart contracts will assist with that. But is that really true? Trust in digital In my digital-first survey, trust with contracting partners was most closely associated with companies the
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