A useful place
to begin.
Practical guides to organising records and preparing for legal discussions. Browse a topic or search a question.
Contract review — preparing a useful brief
Provide the complete current draft, commercial purpose and decisions that matter most to you. Earlier versions and connected documents can change the review.
DocumentsA legal notice — information to prepare before drafting
Prepare the facts, supporting documents, correct parties and remedy sought before wording a notice. Strong language is not a substitute for a legally coherent…
DocumentsReceived a legal notice — preserving the complete record
Keep the complete notice, attachments and delivery evidence, and arrange a prompt assessment. The printed date, dispatch date and receipt date can be different.
DocumentsCorrect parties and signing authority in an agreement
Use the actual legal entity and verify the signatory's authority. A trading name, branch name and individual owner are not necessarily interchangeable contracting…
DocumentsOffer, acceptance and the final contract version
Identify which proposal was accepted, by whom and on what terms. A series of quotations and messages can leave uncertainty about the final agreement.
DocumentsDefining scope of work and acceptance
State what will be delivered and how completion will be assessed. A broad promise to provide satisfactory services may leave key commercial expectations unresolved.
DocumentsPayment milestones and disputed invoices
Link payment stages to clear obligations and keep evidence of performance. An invoice date alone may not establish when every contractual payment becomes due.
DocumentsChanging contract scope or price
Record the authorised change and its effect on price, time and obligations before relying on it. A request for extra work is different from agreement on every…
DocumentsTerminating a contract — checking the legal basis
Read the termination clause and alleged breach before sending a final notice or stopping performance. Commercial frustration alone is not a universal termination…
DocumentsLimitation for a contract claim
Identify the cause of action, payment terms and relevant dates before calculating time. Different contractual claims can have different starting points and rules.
DocumentsDamages for breach of contract
Explain the breach, resulting loss and evidence linking them. A large demand is not a substitute for proving a legally recoverable loss.
DocumentsLiquidated damages and penalty clauses
A sum named in the contract is not automatically payable in full whenever breach is alleged. The clause and statutory framework require assessment.