Legal Mentorship’s Post

📜 When we’re #drafting and #reviewing #contracts, we each have our own methods. But is there a right way? A way to keep discussions streamlined, #negotiations short, and both sides fully understood? 🤝 After attending a great webinar by Contract Nerds, I learned that effective redlining isn’t just about edits, it’s about etiquette. I’m immensely thankful to Nada Alnajafi for sharing her 𝘛𝘦𝘯 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘵𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦 with us during a recent webinar. These rules have been a game-changer, and I’ve also added a few of my own to complement them, which I’ll share in future posts! 📌There are more than 15 fundamental rules that make the redlining process seamless and effective. Of the many tips/techniques I picked up, here are 5, and stay tuned, I’ll be sharing more in my next posts. 1️⃣ 𝑼𝒔𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑾𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚 💬 – Every redline should come with a quick explanation. 2️⃣𝑼𝒔𝒆 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 🤫 – Silent redlines are useful for small, obvious adjustments. 3️⃣ 𝑳𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕 𝑬𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌-𝒂𝒏𝒅-𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 📧 – Endless email exchanges can stall progress. 4️⃣ 𝑼𝒔𝒆 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆 & 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 📝 – Avoid legal jargon and provide a quick summary of key changes in your email. 5️⃣ 𝑹𝒆-𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 🖊️ – Keep the language simple and accessible. 📌 These #bestpractices ensure smoother, faster negotiations and a more collaborative approach to contract redlining. 👉 These are just the first steps to mastering contract redlining. Stay tuned for my next post (https://lnkd.in/gSJUuWih) where I’ll dive into more strategies for streamlined, efficient, and collaborative negotiations! #ContractRedlining #LegalTips #NegotiationSkills #RedliningEtiquette #ContractManagement #LegalTech #ContractDrafting #LegalTips #NegotiationEtiquette #Contract #LegalBestPractices

𝟓 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 “Is that really the contract you’d sign off on?” A comment I received from a colleague early in my career as a junior associate. It stung, but it hit the mark. Years later, this question shapes how I draft and review every contract. After all, contracts are a company’s lifeblood; they define partnerships, protect interests, and ensure obligations are met. Making errors? Not an option. So, how did I grow from a junior litigator making rookie contract errors to confidently negotiating airtight contracts for high-stakes deals? Here’s a breakdown of the five most common contract drafting pitfalls I’ve seen and how to avoid them. 1️⃣ 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 The biggest mistake? Not ensuring the contract meets everyone’s needs. Whether it’s service hours, deliverables, or payment terms, failing to consider all perspectives means endless revisions and can delay signing. Get alignment from all parties at the start. 2️⃣ 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 We’ve all seen it—a missing comma that changes everything. Proofreading might seem tedious, but it’s essential. Check every clause, double-check key terms, and triple-check definitions. These small details keep your contract clean, clear, and enforceable. 3️⃣ 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 Contracts without clear roles lead to confusion and missed deadlines. Make it obvious who is responsible for what and outline any repercussions. A contract that leaves room for interpretation is just waiting to cause issues down the road. 4️⃣ 𝐎𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 When does the contract end? Under what terms can it be renewed? These aren’t afterthoughts—they’re fundamental. Always specify dates and renewal terms to avoid unpleasant surprises later. 5️⃣ 𝐋𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 Ambiguity in contracts leads to unnecessary conflicts. While it’s tempting to keep clauses general, specificity prevents misunderstandings. Cover every detail, and you’ll save all parties a world of trouble. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰: ✅ Get everyone aligned before drafting ✅ Meticulously proofread every clause ✅ Clarify roles and responsibilities from day one ✅ Specify contract duration, renewal, and termination terms ✅ Be specific—even about the details that “seem obvious.” 𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞: an hour well-spent saves hours of headaches later. Whether drafting or reviewing, remember that good contracts are the backbone of good business. Start with clarity and attention to detail; the rest will fall into place. Because there’s no better feeling than knowing your contract is rock-solid. 👉 Want to chat about drafting airtight contracts? Let’s connect! #contractdrafting #careertips #avoidingerrors #contracts #adr

Me: "Yes, I can appreciate that's what your playbook says, but it's not really applicable in this contract. II think it's clear we both benefit if we change the wording to how I redlined it." Them: "But that wording is not approved by my playbook." #TheContractStruggleIsReal #KnowingWhenToThrowThePlaybookOutForTheWin #contracts #HowToContract

In a previous post, I wrote about #redlining in #contracts and its advantages. In this post, I will be writing on how to effectively #redline and ensure that no word or clause is lost in the process of redlining and negotiating a contract HOW DO YOU REDLINE IN MS WORD USING 'TRACK CHANGES'? To redline in Word, use the "Track Changes" feature: 1. Open the document. 2. Click the "Review" tab on the toolbar, then select "Track Changes" (icon may vary by version). 3. Set the markup to "All Markup" to see all changes and comments. 4. Make your edits—any additions or deletions will appear in red with comment bubbles for explanations. HOW TO ACCEPT OR REJECT REDLINES To manage redlines: 1. In the "Review" tab, go to the "Changes" section. You’ll find "Accept," "Reject," "Previous," and "Next" buttons. 2. Use "Previous" or "Next" to review edits individually. 3. Click "Reject" to discard an edit, or "Accept" to keep it. HOWEVER, when you reject a redline through the above way, it is highly possible that the counterparty (the party in a contract negotiation), may not be aware, as the #redline will vanish and restore the initial word or clause the other part wanted to remove. A BETTER WAY TO REJECT Changes and to keep the history or record of those changes in you the Word Doc Instead of rejecting directly, you can: 1. Use the backspace to strike through unwanted redlines. 2. Add your preferred terms as new redlines. 3. Include a comment explaining your rejection. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Do you need a professional to draw up a contract for yourself or your company? Do you need a contract negotiator? Kindly send me a private message. #ContractLaw #LawofContract #ContractRedlining #BusinessContracts #LegalNegotiation #RealEstateLaw #LegalTips #BusinessLaw #PropertyTransactions #LawyersOnLinkedIn #YoungEntrepreneurs #ContractDrafting

🔍 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕, 𝕌𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔸𝕤𝕜 𝔹𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕊𝕚𝕘𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒 ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥! ✍️ Contract signing excites us. It can be tempting to skim through the pages and quickly sign, thinking that asking questions could either be humiliating or unnecessary. We would just find out that it could be a double-edged sword that could skyrocket our success or plunge us into destruction. 🚀 Here's why you should always: 1️⃣  𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲: 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬. 💡 2️⃣𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲: 𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐣𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫! 💡 3️⃣𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐮𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. 🙋♂️🙋♀️ 🔑 Pro Tip: Consider consulting a legal expert to review the contract with you. Their insights can be invaluable! Engage in the conversation! How do you ensure you fully understand a contract before signing? Share your tips and experiences in the comments below. Let’s learn from each other! 🌟👇 #ContractSigning #LegalAdvice #BusinessTips #ProfessionalGrowth #DueDiligence #StayInformed #LinkedInCommunity

💡 SIMPLIFY WITH PLAYBOOKS Whether you call them playbooks or negotiation guides, these tools are game changers for simplifying the contracting process. They help educate teams, ensure consistency, and are a must-have if you’re outsourcing contract reviews. Want to boost efficiency and streamline your contracts? Empower your business with well-crafted playbooks that serve as a roadmap for success. Consistency starts here! #CLM #ContractManagement #LegalOps #Legal #Contracting #ContractLifecycle #ContractLifecycleManagement #CLMSimplified #CLMReadiness Lucy Bassli🎗InnoLaw Group, PLLC

📝 Unlock the Power of Contracts! 🚀 Curious about the ins & outs of contracts, why they're crucial for success? 🤔 Look no further! In my this introductory video, I've condensed the essential clauses every contract contains, shedding light on their significance and why mastering contract skills is a game-changer. Here is the link: https://lnkd.in/g32tj7P2 From understanding key clauses to navigating legal complexities, this bite-sized video packs a punch in demystifying contracts. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, seasoned professional, or simply eager to level up your knowledge, this content is for you! Ready to elevate your contract game? Don't miss out on valuable insights—follow me on YouTube for more informative videos and tutorials! 📹 Channel Link: https://lnkd.in/gp_gCtGZ #ContractSkills #LegalKnowledge #ProfessionalDevelopment

✨ What are Contract Recitals? ✨ Ever wondered what those introductory paragraphs in contracts are? They're called contract recitals, and they serve an important purpose. Recitals provide context, outline the parties involved, and summarize the contract’s intent. ✅ Why Are They Important? Recitals help clarify the "why" behind the agreement, ensuring everyone is on the same page. 💡 Drafting Tips: Keep them clear, concise, and aligned with the contract's purpose. 📜 Varies by Agreement: Different types of contracts, like NDAs or service agreements, may require unique recitals! https://cutt.ly/4eEsPdgy #ContractRecitals #ContractDrafting #LegalTips #BusinessAgreements #LegittAI

What are the risks of forming a company using an online service and not an experienced attorney? You can absolutely file paperwork to form a company online. But if you're serious about running a successful business and serving your clients, you need to consider what happens once you actually get to working with others. There is a very high risk business owners that file formation documents online without using a trusted advisor: You are most likely NOT going to have clear agreements in place for your clients, your employees or your vendors. Unfortunately, I am consistently working with business owners who didn't hire an experienced attorney when they first started their company and now find themselves involved in a dispute. When you don't have clear, concise written contracts in place AND you don't have a trusted legal advisor to consult with, you face making costly mistakes when things go wrong. #ceo #policies #trustedadvisor #management #law #newyork #longisland #businessowner #strategy #costs #risks

𝐀 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞' 𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞! -> 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝑨𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: Gather all information about the Parties and their objectives. Be clear and precise in every detail. -> 𝑨𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒅 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏: Use the correct names and addresses of the parties to avoid any confusion about their identities and roles. -> 𝑫𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈: Do not rely on verbal agreements. Put everything in writing to avoid any loopholes. -> 𝑼𝒔𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆: Avoid Complex legal jargon. Make your contract simple and easy to understand with clear language, proper grammar and consistent formatting. -> 𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑫𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒔: Include payment terms, delivery terms, performance standards, remedies, dispute resolution, termination process etc. -> 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔: Clearly outline how to handle any potential dispute that may arise during the contract execution. -> 𝑪𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝑻𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆: Use Contract Template as a base and modify them to the specific needs of your situation. Don't skip or mix any information. -> 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒔: Begin your contract with a clear Title, the names of the Parties involved, Definitions, and Scope of Contract. Describe in detail what each party has agreed to do or not to do and their rights and obligations. I hope this was helpful.