Boilerplate Clauses in Commercial Contracts: Avoiding Unintended Consequences, Implementing Practical Solutions

This CLE course will guide business counsel in identifying and avoiding the pitfalls of boilerplate contract clauses in commercial agreements. The panel will explain how to adapt standard contract provisions to the unique circumstances of a business transaction, such as choice of forum, choice of law, contract assignment, and dispute resolution.

Boilerplate clauses are standard provisions included near the end of most corporate and commercial agreements. They may have, among others, provisions for choice of forum, choice of law, force majeure, liquidated or limitations of damages, dispute resolution, assignment, notice, merger, and jury waiver.

Boilerplate provisions are often cut and pasted from one contract to another without much thought about the potential effect of their use. However, these clauses conceal significant legal and business implications that can produce unwanted future results if not tailored to the specific circumstances of the transaction.

Automatically inserting a boilerplate provision into an agreement can unintentionally defeat the parties' contractual intent and cause significant losses. Best practices necessitate negotiating and drafting such clauses and others in anticipation of future disputes.

Listen as our authoritative panel reviews standard boilerplate provisions and discusses best practices for avoiding pitfalls by drafting individualized clauses to suit the particular circumstances of the transaction.