I love it when people send me copies of monstrous T&C to me… I’m very nosey. I love to see providers think are the most appropriate words to create loyal customers and good relationships. A particularly sticky example was sent to me by Lee Jackson (a speaker on ‘getting good’
The literal reading of a formula for rent increases was irrational, arbitrary or illogical. But what were the court’s powers to override an express clause in the lease? The purpose of the clause was to increase the rent each year by a cost of living rate (the retail price index).
‘There are two things wrong with almost all legal writing. One is its style. The other is its content’ – Fred Rodell (1936). Despite having nearly 100 years to improve, legal writing is still awful. Researchers in cognitive science from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA) have analysed the major
Who do we… who should we write contracts to please? Not, as you’ve noticed, who do we write contracts for. But who should we write contracts to please. If a client asks me to write a contract for their business, there are two primary readers I need to consider: my
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
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
What are the best ways to avoid disputes on construction projects? You’d fully expect me to recommend a decent contract, but don’t just take my word for it. This post reviews the 2021 Arcadis Global Disputes Report to extract the nuggets you need to avoid disputes on your projects. Tips
Christopher Trudeau (and Christine Cawthorne) have repeated their 2010 study of preferences in legal documents and communication to find out how lawyers can better serve their clients and the wider community. The conclusions? Their 2017 report says: clear legal communication is vitally important legal information is very widespread (with 80%
In the first of series of 3 posts, Susannah Lee, an expert disputes solicitor, looks at how clarity in your contract can help avoid disputes – which cause long term damage to your skilfully nurtured business relationships. Construction projects are prone to disputes because of their technical, procedural and managerial
In ‘The Four Agreements’ Don Miguel Ruiz introduces the wisdom of the Toltecs. Given the title and my specialism, my attention was hooked into how it related to contract law and contract negotiation. He says: “Language is the code for understanding and communication between humans. Every letter, every word in
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