Contract Drafting : Powerful Prose in Transactional Practice / / Lenne Eidson Espenschied

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910816302103321
• Autore: Espenschied Lenné Eidson
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Chicago, Illinois : , : American Bar Association, , [2019]; ©2019
• ISBN: 1-64105-333-X
• Edizione: [Third edition.]
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (373 pages)
• Disciplina: 808.066346
• Soggetti: Contracts - United States - Language; Legal composition
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Includes index.
• Nota di contenuto: Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Preface -- Preface to 2nd Edition -- Preface to 3rd Edition -- Chapter 1: Introduction to Contract Drafting -- Introduction -- What Is Drafting? -- What Does a Transactional Lawyer Do? -- Exercise -- Focus of this Treatise -- 1.1 Understand Key Differences between Contract Drafting and Legal Writing. -- 1.2 Define the Characteristics of Excellent Drafting. -- Exercise 1.2 -- 1.3 Attend to Appearance. -- Case Study -- Chapter 2: Drafting in Transactional Practice -- 2.1 Explore the Status Quo of Drafting in the Legal Profession. -- Limitations of Law School Training -- The Benchmark of Subject Mastery -- 2.2 Barriers to Improvement. -- 2.3 The Strong Arm for Improvement. -- 2.4 Realize Potential Costs of Deficient Drafting. -- 2.5 Ethical Issues in Drafting. -- What Is "Competence" with Respect to Drafting a Contract? -- What Does an Incompetently Drafted Contract Look Like? -- An Incredibly Low Standard -- 2.6 Cultivate Personal Branding. -- Chapter 3: Avoid Ambiguity -- 3.1 Strive for Clarity -- Avoid Ambiguity. -- "Clarity," "Ambiguity," and "Vagueness" -- What Happens When Courts Encounter Ambiguity in Contracts? -- Who Knew What, and When? -- 3.2 Types of Ambiguity. -- Semantic Ambiguity -- o Patently ambiguous words -- o Latently ambiguous words -- o Usage issues -- Syntactic Ambiguity -- o Poorly organized sentences -- o Squinting modifiers -- o Misplaced ; modifiers -- o Dangling modifiers -- o Uncertain pronoun references -- o Prepositional phrases -- o Conjunctions -- o Only -- Contextual Ambiguity -- Exercise 3.2 -- 3.3 Balance Competence and Vagueness. -- 3.4 How Grammar Errors Cause Ambiguity. -- 3.5 Consider Canons of Construction. -- Be Aware of Canons but Do Not Take Shortcuts -- o No excess words.; o Noscitur a sociis -- o Ejusdem generis -- o Expressio unius est exclusio alterius -- o Contra proferentem -- o Reddendo singula singulis -- o Ut magis valeat quam pereat -- o In pari materia -- Chapter 4: Focus on Words -- 4.1 Prefer Simple Words. -- How to Draft in Plain English -- Exercise 4.1 -- 4.2 Avoid Archaic Customs. -- 4.3 Use Words Consistently. -- Best Efforts/Reasonable Efforts/Commercially Reasonable Efforts -- 4.4 Use "Shall" Consistently. -- The Great Debate -- Exercise 4.4 -- 4.5 Avoid These Words in Contracts. -- Ambiguous Words -- o And/or: The Janus-Faced monstrosity -- o Provisos -- o Herein -- o Notwithstanding -- Legalese -- o Here-, there-, and where- words -- o Such, said, and same -- o Foreign phrases -- 4.6 Use Defined Terms Correctly. -- Errors with Integrated Definitions -- Complete or Incomplete? -- When and How to Use a Glossary -- Are Articles Required? -- Case Study 4.6A -- Case Study 4.6B -- 4.7 Use "That" or "Which" Correctly. -- Exercise 4.7 -- Chapter 5: Focus on Sentence Structure -- 5.1 Choose Correct Language for the Intended Consequence. -- Duty -- Negating a Duty -- A Negative Obligation -- Indirect Duty -- Right -- Negating a Right -- Privilege -- Negating a Privilege -- Present Action -- Policy -- Condition -- 5.2 Shorten Average Sentence Length. -- Assess Readability -- Readability Statutes -- Case Study 5A -- 5.3 Eliminate Clutter and Redundant Language. -- Get to the Point -- Eliminate Repetitive Phrases of Agreement or Understanding -- Eliminate Unnecessary Strings of Words -- Eliminate Common Doublets and Triplets -- Exercise 5.3 -- 5.4 Draft Performance Provisions in Active Voice. -- Use Active Voice in Performance Provisions -- Passive Voice in Miscellaneous Provisions -- Passive Voice in Representations and Warranties.; Passive Voice in Uncertainty -- "There is," "There are," or, Even Worse, "There shall be" -- Exercise 5.4 -- 5.5 Convert Hidden Verbs. -- Exercise 5.5 -- 5.6 Structure Sentences Logically. -- Case Study 5B -- Case Study 5B, Revised -- 5.7 Draft in Parallel Structure. -- 5.8 Use Tabulations to Eliminate Ambiguity. -- Exercise 5.8A -- Exercise 5.8B -- Case Study 5C -- Case Study 5C, Revised -- Case Study 5D -- Case Study 5D, Revised -- 5.9 Avoid Ambiguous Phrasing. -- Between . . . and . . . -- After . . . before -- From . . . to -- Until -- By -- Starting -- Through -- Within -- 5.10 Do Not Reinvent the Cube. -- Chapter 6: Context and Contextual Ambiguity -- 6.1 The Legal Context of Contract Drafting. -- 6.2 Outside Influences that Affect a Contract. -- UCC and other Gap Fillers -- Required Disclosures -- Enforceability Issues -- 6.3 Third-Party Contracts. -- 6.4 Improve Organization. -- How to Organize the Contract -- Use a Simple Numbering System -- Case Study 6.4 -- 6.5 Integrate Inserts. -- 6.6 Keep Related Contracts Consistent. -- Chapter 7: Components of a Contract -- 7.1 Select the Contract Format. -- 7.2 Identify the Parts of a Contract. -- Name or Title of the Contract -- Introduction -- Statement of Purpose -- Statement of Agreement -- Definitions -- Performance Provisions -- Miscellaneous Provisions -- Signature Blocks -- Schedules and Exhibits -- 7.3 Avoid Consideration Recitals. -- 7.4 Understand the Effects of Seal. -- 7.5 Conform E-Sign. -- 7.6 Link Schedules and Exhibits. -- 7.7 Be Wary with Virtual Attachments. -- 7.8 Differentiate Point of View in Contract Drafting. -- 7.9 Draft Gender Free. -- ; Grammatically Correct Methods for Eliminating Gender Pronouns -- o Plural nouns -- o Second person -- o Articles -- o Repeat the noun -- o Omit It? -- o Indefinite pronouns.; o Zoom out -- Chapter 8: Understand the Transaction -- Allocate Risk -- 8.1 Understand the Proposed Transaction. -- 8.2 Understand the Audience. -- Exercise 8.2 -- 8.3 Gather Data Effectively. -- Who -- What -- When -- Where -- Why -- How -- How Much -- Exercise 8.3 -- 8.4 Understand Whether Provisions Are Required, Essential, Strongly Recommended, or Optional. -- Required -- Essential -- Strongly Recommended -- Optional -- Exercise 8.4 -- 8.5 Start with Provisions that Favor Your Client. -- 8.6 Draft to Allocate Risk. -- Case Studies -- 8.7 Identify the Range of Risk. -- Exercise 8.7 -- 8.8 Understand Risk in Key Performance Provisions. -- Scope -- Representations and Warranties -- Express Warranties, Limited Warranties, and Disclaimers -- o Express warranties -- o Warranty of merchantability -- o Warranty of fitness for particular purpose -- o The limited warranty paradox -- o Exclusion v. disclaimer -- Limitations of Liability -- o Tort claims -- o Breach of contract claims -- Liquidated Damage Clauses -- Term and Termination Provisions -- 8.9 Track Money and Alternative Outcomes. -- Exercise 8.9 -- 8.10 Be Accountable. -- Notwithstanding Anything to the Contrary -- Except as the Context Otherwise Requires -- For the Avoidance of Doubt -- The Headings and Captions in this Agreement Are for Convenience Only . . . -- Hereinafter Referred to as "Company," "ABC," or "Atlas" -- Chapter 9: Focus on Indemnification Provisions -- 9.1 How Indemnification Is Used. -- 9.2 Types of Indemnification. -- Unilateral -- Reciprocal -- Exculpatory -- Partial -- Financial -- Direct -- 9.3 The Hold Harmless Conundrum. -- 9.4 Consider Plausible Authorities. -- The Status Quo Among the Bar -- Treatise Authorities -- The Case Law -- Delaware Cases.; Majkowski v. American Imaging Management Services, LLC -- Majkowski's Progeny -- Cases from Other Jurisdictions -- o Third Circuit Court of Appeals: Travelers Indemnity v. Dammann -- o Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals: U.S. v. Contract Management -- o California: Queen Villas HOA v. TCB -- o Minnesota - Johnson v. Johnson, (Minn. App. 9/25/17) -- o Florida Cases -- o Other Jurisdictions -- The Mother May I? Case -- Other Interpretations of "Hold Harmless" -- 9.5 Recommendations Regarding "Hold Harmless." -- 9.6 Defense Is a Variable. -- 9.7 Drafting an Indemnification Provision. -- Break Down the Components -- Arrange the Components in Order -- Tweak the Components as Necessary for this Transaction -- o Who is providing the indemnification? -- o What protection is provided? -- o Who is receiving the indemnification? -- o What is indemnified against? -- o How does the indemnification attach? -- o What is carved out or forced in? -- o What are the additional requirements? -- 9.8 Consider Secondary Concepts. -- 9.9 Special Indemnification Issues in M&amp -- A Transactions. -- Indemnity Escrow Agreements -- Thresholds and "Baskets" -- Materiality Scrapes -- Indemnification Caps -- 9.10 Determine if R&amp -- W Insurance Is Appropriate. -- 9.11 Force Structure in the Indemnification Section. -- Exercise 9.11 -- Chapter 10: Focus on Earnout Provisions -- 10.1 How Earnout Provisions Are Used. -- 10.2 Review and Consider Recent Earnout Cases. -- Lazard v. QinetiQ -- SRS v. Gilead Sciences, Inc. -- SRS v. Valeant Pharmaceuticals -- GreenStar IH Rep, LLC v. Tutor Perini Corp -- 10.3 Apply Practical Guidance. -- 10.4 Drafting Tips. -- Chapter 11: Understand Miscellaneous Provisions -- 11.1 What Is "Boilerplate" in a Contract? -- 11.2 Understand the Effects of Key Miscellaneous Provisions.; Integration/Entire Agreement/Merger Clause.
• Sommario/riassunto: Contract Drafting: Powerful Prose in Transactional Practice, Third Edition offers an expansive approach to studying the transactional lawyer's responsibilities as contract drafter.