Working with Contracts

Book excerpt: Contract drafting is different from the other types of writing that a new lawyer is faced with. Law school contracts classes rarely consider the issues that arise in sophisticated commercial transactions. A new lawyer is therefore forced to learn by doing and observing -- in high-pressure 'on the job' training. Now there is help. Working with Contracts: What Law School Doesn't Teach You provides the beginning lawyer with an operative understanding of the vocabulary and the building blocks of contracts. It introduces the basic elements of all contracts; describes the lawyer's role in the drafting and negotiating process; discusses amendments, waivers, and consents; and addresses issues that arise in reviewing contracts, including due diligence issues. It also offers sample provisions, drafting checklists, and an expansive glossary of contract language and basic transactional practice.