Contracts are the backbone of any business or personal agreement. No matter if you are dealing with sales contracts, employment agreements, or any other type of legal agreement, the terms and conditions that you agree to can have a significant impact on your rights and obligations.
However, despite its importance, many individuals make the mistake of either signing contracts without consulting a lawyer or using templates sourced from the internet without fully understanding their legal implications.
In this article, we explore the importance of appointing a lawyer to review your contracts before signing, emphasising the benefits of seeking legal advice to prevent costly disputes and ensure the protection of your interests.
Understanding legal complexities
Contracts are intricate legal contracts that outline the obligations and rights of each party.
They frequently contain complex wording, clauses, and legal jargon that can be challenging to understand for anyone without a background in law. Failure to completely understand the terms within a contract might result in unforeseen consequences or even a breach of contractual obligations, which could result in costly legal disputes and repercussions.
Why do you need to appoint a lawyer to review your contracts?
1. Avoid costly disputes
One of the primary reasons why appointing a lawyer to review contracts is vital is the potential to avoid costly disputes in the future.
Individuals who do not seek legal advice before signing a contract often find themselves embroiled in legal disputes later on. These disputes can arise due to ambiguities in the language, incomplete clauses or non-compliance with relevant laws and regulations. In such cases, engaging a commercial dispute lawyer might be necessary.
2. Compliance with the relevant laws
In many cases, contracts must adhere to specific laws and regulations based on the industry, jurisdiction, and nature of the agreement. Ignorance of these legal requirements can lead to severe consequences, including fines, penalties, or even voiding of the entire contract. A lawyer specialising in contract law possesses the necessary expertise to ensure that your contracts are compliant with all relevant laws, safeguarding your interests and protecting you from potential legal liabilities.
3. Negotiating favourable terms
When negotiating a contract, an experienced attorney may defend your interests and push for better terms on your behalf. Their expertise in contract discussions may result in modifications that strengthen your position, provide added protections, and clarify ambiguous language. This may be quite useful, especially in high-stakes contracts where both sides seek to get the most out of the deal.
Conclusion
To sum up, it is imperative to get a lawyer to analyse your contracts. In fact, some might even say it is penny wise pound foolish not to seek legal advice at the point of contract (before signing) because it costs more in legal fees to sort out the legal issues, as compared to if you had paid money for the contract to be reviewed and amended or negotiated.
An experienced lawyer may assist you in navigating the legal complexity of your contracts, ensuring compliance with the relevant laws, and negotiating conditions that safeguard your interests.
Doris Chia has had clients who came to her to solve their contractual disputes because they did not seek legal advice before signing the contracts.
Her commitment to providing sound legal counsel and ensuring the protection of her clients’ interests underscores the significance of involving a lawyer in the contract review process. She is also an expert in defamation law in Singapore and has years of experience under her belt.
Contact us today for more information!