Course description
Is there really such thing as a ‘must-attend’ seminar? If you’re new to commercial law or in need of a refresher then we’re confident that Mark Weston’s A to Z Guide to Commercial Contracts & Boilerplate Clauses - In 2 Days must be worthy of such an accolade.
Delegates have travelled from as far afield as Germany, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to attend this course, with feedback ranging from "Without doubt the best course I have attended for years. Should be compulsory" to "By far the best I have EVER attended. Seminar should be compulsory for all solicitors!” to "Very good practical application - I can now remember why the boilerplate is there in the first place!". Why not make a date to join industry expert Mark Weston in-person and hear his words of wisdom for yourself?
Upcoming start dates
Outcome / Qualification etc.
Training Course Content
Introduction
Whether you are new to commercial law or in need of a refresher, this in-person seminar is for you.
It will focus on the key aspects of commercial law and is delivered over a 2 day intensive training programme.
You will get the chance to 'dig deep' into commercial law and practice and there will be practical exercises to consolidate your knowledge.
What You Will Learn
This seminar will cover the following:DAY 1
Contract Interpretation
- Systems of law
- Civil law v common law approaches
- Precedent (and some Latin)
- Clarity and ambiguity: Arnold v Britton
- Ambiguity: Investors Compensation Scheme v West Bromwich
- Classical contract interpretation (6 canons)
- Modern contract interpretation (Principles)
- The effect of Brexit on contract drafting and interpretation
- Admissible background
- Private dictionary principles
How do you form a contract?
- Ingredients to form a contract
- Classical
- Offer
- Acceptance
- Consideration
- Battle of the forms
- Other elements in formation
- Sui generis formation
- Distinctions between negotiations and contracts:
- Have you accidentally formed a contract while negotiating?
- The 6 steps of Pagnan Freres
- ‘Subject to contract’
- ‘Without prejudice’
Commercial contract format and structure
- Splitting form from content
- Tone and format
- Deed or under hand?
- Drafting techniques:
- Mapping: free drafting (when you have no precedent)
- Mapping: tied drafting (when you have a starting point)
- Structures of typical commercial contracts
- PRACTICAL EXERCISE: Examining a sample agreement (Checking errors of form and clarity in contracts)
- Drafting for certainty
Terms: implied, express and standard
- Implied terms
- 3 types
- The 2015 revision
- Plus 1?
- Express terms
- Time is of the essence
- Best endeavours clauses
- Reasonable endeavours clauses
- Nuances and efforts
- The obligation spectrum
- Meaning of standard terminology
- Reasonable
- Substantial
- Material
Drafting techniques
- Practical tips
- PRACTICAL EXERCISE: Modern Drafting
- Shall, will, endeavours
- WCI
- Undertakings
- Representations
- Warranties
- Indemnities
Exclusion and limitation clauses
- Myths about liability clauses
- Internationally accepted practice
- Economic rationale for this area of law
- The liability protection spectrum
- Jurisdictional differences
- Factors affecting liability...or not
- Negotiating liability clauses: risks and responsibilities
- The ACE principle
- Acceptance of risk
- Capping of risk
- Exclusion of risk
- Arguments used by each side when negotiating
- Drafting a liability clause: tips, tricks and techniques
- The change in law and practice since 2016
- Indirect and consequential loss: the changing position since 2017
- UCTA
DAY 2
Introduction to boilerplate
Transferring contractual rights and obligations
- Transferring rights
- Assignment
- Novation
- Other transfers
- An exercise: in the real world
- Third party rights
- Privity
- Some history
- Practical examples
- The new rules
- Drafting issues and traps
Welded boilerplate
- Part 1: Interpretation
- Importance
- Start v finish
- Headings and Titles
- Usual interpretation clauses
- Part 2: Notice and Communications
- Purpose of a clause
- Problematic clauses?
- Relevant case law
- Part 3: Waiver
- Purpose
- Effect
- Clause
- How does it work?
- Variation
- The remedies addendum
- Part 4: Invalidity and severance
- Purpose
- Invalid clauses - and consequences
- Blue pencil test
- Repair
- Clause
- Bolt-ons
- Part 5: Joint and several liability
- Joint/several/joint and several - differences
- Purpose
- Clause
- Bolt-ons
- Part 6: Force majeure
- Purpose
- Some history
- A partisan view of risk
- What is ‘force majeure’?
- Effect
- Procedure
- Clause
- The court
Payments and interest
- Payment clauses
- Purpose
- Goods default
- Clauses
- Interest clauses
- A clause: charging interest for late payment
- Penalties and rates of interest
- Force majeure and payments
- The importance of waiving rights - or not
Confidentiality clauses
- Doing without a confidentiality agreement
- A confidentiality clause: the practice
- A definition: What is confidential?
- Clause outline
- Sample clauses
Term and termination; Entire agreement clauses; Governing law, jurisdiction and dispute resolution clauses
- Part 1: Term and termination
- Purpose
- Term
- Termination
- Reasons for termination
- Consequences of termination
- Survival
- Part 2: Entire agreement clauses
- 2 purposes of a clause
- The law
- Element 1: don’t use anything not in the agreement!
- Element 2: you can’t sue me!
- Fraud
- Consumer contracts
- Drafting
- Part 3: Governing law, jurisdiction and dispute resolution clauses
- Governing law
- Jurisdiction
- Dispute resolution clauses
Expenses
MBL Seminars Limited
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