Practical questions that help you read a contract with a legal eye before committing.
A contract organises the relationship between the parties: its subject, consideration, obligations, term and how breach and dispute are handled. Reading one with a legal eye starts with simple questions.
The five questions
- What exactly is my obligation, and what is the other party's?
- When is a party in breach, and what follows from it?
- How does the relationship end, and with what consequences?
- Who owns the rights and assets the contract produces?
- Where and how would a dispute be resolved?
When the answer to any of these is unclear, that is usually where legal review belongs — before signature, not after.
Important note
This material is general information prepared by the firm and is not legal advice for any specific matter.