English Contract Drafting Skills

Περιγραφή

In today’s interconnected world, proficiency in English contract drafting is not just an advantage, but a necessity for any lawyer aiming to excel in international business and legal transactions. This seminar equips you with the essential skills to confidently draft, negotiate, and interpret contracts in English, ensuring clear communication and compliance with international legal standards.

Gain a competitive edge, expand your global reach, and unlock new career opportunities as you master the art of English contract drafting.

Aims of the seminar:

Clearly describe the basic clauses of a contract.
Describe the necessary conditions of a trade agreement.
To develop skills regarding the standard structure of commercial contracts and the basic terms.
To develop skills regarding the drafting of compensation clauses.
To develop skills related to the interpretation and writing of boilerplate clauses.
To develop skills regarding the handling of termination, breach and compensation clauses of an agreement.
To develop skills regarding the use of correct legal vocabulary.
Implement various dispute management strategies in trade agreements.
To develop skills for the proper drafting of a customer protection agreement.
Apply the techniques of drafting an agreement with ‘plain legal English’.
To develop skills related to the drafting of trade agreement terms (termination clauses, renewal, breach, compensation and other agreement termination clauses and risk mitigation).
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Why this seminar is important for you?

You will improve and hone your skills in drafting legal documents and contracts in English to better protect your clients and produce effective work.
It will enhance your understanding of the overall structure, the purpose of the key provisions of the contract and the effect that amendments can have.
The course will be interactive, based on realistic case studies and incorporating specific drafting suggestions and precedents.
The course also encourages you to develop your drafting skills in context, to enable you to confidently produce more effective and robust contracts for your clients.
The seminar teaches the basic skills of writing clear documents and conventions, explaining essential legal vocabulary and phrases, including Latin and Old Norman French. Delegates will be given various sample contracts and specimen clauses.
This seminar is practical and is taught by highly experienced lawyer experts in contract law.

Ενότητες

COURSE CONTENT:

MODULE 1: Writing obligations in a contract

Introduction of the course and explanation of organization and obligations
Trainer introduction
Student introduction
Introduction to parts of a contract
Introduction – factual and interpretation clauses
Operative Clauses
Boilerplate clauses
Annexes and schedules
How to ensure that your document is adequately customized to the situation and does not look like a copy-pasted version from another document?
Essential elements of a contract
Must haves in a commercial contract
Should have in professional and commercial contracts
Useful to have in professional and commercial contracts
Do not use in professional commercial contracts
Main body of the contract
Endings and signature blocks
Contract drafting checklist

MODULE 2: The contract drafting ‘rules’

How to order and write information in the clause
Rules of contract drafting
Simplicity and plain English language – making contracts easy to understand
Writing with the worst in mind
Not using provisos
Clarity
Interpretation
Punctuation in contracts
Parallel phrasing and non-parallel phrasing

MODULE 3: Operative Clauses of a contract

Representations and Warranties Clauses
Using warranties and representations
How to draft representations and warranties clauses
Consequences of false representations and warranties
Covenants, guarantee and indemnities
Condition’s precedent, conditions subsequent and completion
How to draft payment related clauses and increment clauses
Clauses reflecting consideration
MODULE 4: Term and termination of the contract

Term and termination
Conditions precedent
Conditions subsequent
Termination on expiry of term, for convenience, for change of control, death or disability termination for cause
Material adverse change clauses
Other termination clauses
Termination for insolvency
Renewal by mutual agreement, renewal by notice of one party, automatic renewal
Survival clauses.

MODULE 5: How to draft risk mitigation clauses and boilerplate clauses

Confidentiality clauses/ Drafting non-disclosure agreements
Non-compete clauses
Non solicit clauses
Exclusivity clauses
Assignment/anti assignment clauses
Waiver, variation and severability clauses
Indemnity and limitation of liability clauses
Indemnity arising from breach of representation or warranty
Indemnification against the effects of a party’s own defaults
Pointers for drafting an effective indemnity clause
Indemnity vs. Guarantee

Module 6: Notice and communication clauses

Different types of notices
Key points to consider when drafting a notice clause
When is notice considered delivered
Consequence of erroneous drafting of notice clauses.
Module Governing law, jurisdiction, dispute resolution and arbitration
Specifying governing law
Arbitration clauses and drafting effective arbitration clauses

Module 7: Contract breach and execution

Breach of representations and warranties
Breach of covenants
Any other breach
Remedies for breach, rescission, specific performance, injunction
Types of damages – compensatory, punitive, nominal, liquidated damages
Things to keep in mind when drafting clauses related to breach
The difference between breach and indemnity claim
Execution of contracts – legal requirements for validity and enforcement
Registration, attestation, notarization, apostille

Πληροφορίες

This course is suitable for:

Lawyers
Advocates
Legal advisors
Contract managers
People involved in cross border transactions
Real Estate advisors
Business professionals