About the Course
Introduction
This CLE course will provide business and technology counsel with a roadmap for drafting and negotiating information technology (IT) master services agreements (MSAs). The panel will discuss key provisions in the agreements, including provisions addressing data rights, privacy, cybersecurity, and AI-enabled services, and strategies for avoiding common negotiation pitfalls and resolving contract disputes.
Description
Using IT MSAs brings efficiency and consistency to contracting for technology services. Before negotiating and drafting an MSA, counsel representing technology purchasers and suppliers must clearly understand the purchaser's business objectives, the scope of services, expected deliverables, the scope of the work, warranty and other remedies, and performance and payment obligations and applicable data use, privacy, cybersecurity, and AI-related requirements.
Careless drafting of MSAs or focusing solely on price during contract negotiations can be a grave mistake that leads to lost money and time, eroded goodwill, disputes, and litigation.
Listen as our authoritative panel discusses best practices for drafting and negotiating IT MSAs. The panel will discuss necessary clauses for the contracts, explain how they interplay with accompanying statements of work, and provide strategies for avoiding common drafting pitfalls and resolving contract disputes.
Presented By
Mr. Peterson leads the firm’s Technology & IP Transactions, Outsourcing and Artificial Intelligence. He has focused his practice for 20 years on helping companies work better with their technology and operations supplies. Mr. Peterson has represented customers in dozens of large outsourcing agreements with, cumulatively, over $10 billion in contract value. He has represented clients in all major types of outsourcing transactions and has negotiated opposite all of the first tier and most of the second-tier providers. Mr. Peterson is a frequent speaker and writer on outsourcing topics, among others.
As a Partner in Wiggin and Dana’s Outsourcing and Technology Group, Ms. Simonis's practice focuses on helping global outsourcing and technology suppliers' structure, negotiate and document the full range of onshore, offshore and near-shore technology and services transactions. She has extensive experience negotiating complex, competitively-bid business process outsourcing (BPO) and information technology outsourcing (ITO) transactions across North and South America, Europe and Asia. Ms. Simonis advises customers and suppliers of all sizes in the development, procurement, distribution, implementation, maintenance and use of technology-enabled products and services. Her experience spans a wide variety of vertical industries, including financial services, insurance, hospitality, retail, manufacturing, life sciences, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, business consulting and general E-commerce. Ms. Simonis also helps clients negotiate complex transactions related to software development and licensing, robotics and data automation solutions, strategic alliances and joint ventures, consulting and professional services engagements, cloud-enabled digital transformation projects and E-commerce and other internet-based initiatives. She is ranked globally by both Chambers and The Legal 500 and is one of the leading women in the outsourcing bar.
-
This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
-
Date + Time
- event
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
- schedule
1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT
I. Key provisions in IT MSAs including data rights, privacy, cybersecurity, and use of AI
II. Purchaser considerations
III. Vendor considerations
IV. Anticipating common drafting issues and streamlining negotiations
The panel will review these and other highly relevant issues:
- What are the essential questions counsel to purchasers and suppliers must first consider before negotiating and drafting an IT MSA?
- What are the most frequently included contract terms in MSAs (including terms addressing data use, privacy, cybersecurity, and use of AI)?
- What are the most commonly disputed issues during contract negotiations and practical approaches to resolving them?
Related Courses
Recommended Resources
