General Counsel can now harness the power of innovation and global resources (Including a network of 5,500+ highly credible and skilled contract neutrals and dispute neutrals, specialist network lawyers, domain experts in 80+ countries, 50+ seamless integrated inclusive dispute management systems and programs, administered procedures) to prevent disputes, increase certainty of operating in different markets, build efficiency and ensure continuity while reducing costs.
We strongly believe that over 50 percent of disputes can be prevented altogether and about 95% of all the disputes can be settled sooner. However, unfortunately we fail to avoid the disputes and settle disputes “very late” rather than “soon” as a traditional norm. Our systems convert the LATER into SOONER and saves you A fortune.
The FICM dispute continuum provides a variety of techniques that are adapted to meet the needs of any business relationship. Most of the techniques can readily be incorporated into contracts; other customized techniques can be developed and employed in special situations.
The contract planning and negotiation stage is the logical starting point for articulating techniques that have been proactively selected by the parties to prevent, control, reduce and resolve disputes.
The existence in the contract of techniques for handling disputes, and the parties’ knowledge that these techniques are readily available, will direct any disputes into channels where they can be dealt with constructively; in many cases their mere availability encourages the parties to act more forthrightly with each other and resolve their disputes without the necessity of using the prescribed techniques.
How do we identify a bad contract draft over a highly secure one? Who to be held responsible for a bad contract draft, if identified? What can we do once the bad contract has already damaged our business interests?
Beyond a risk analysis of existing contracts, in newly drafting complex contracts involving multiple parties or multiple jurisdictions, our services include the general design and negotiation of comprehensive contractual agreements, just as well as adding our expertise to an ongoing contract drafting process, e.g. on the structuring of complex dispute resolution clauses.
An issue-specific contract review is the cheapest form of contract review, as the lawyer will just look over a specific issue you have questions on. If you’re on a tight budget, this is a good way to feel more confident before signing the agreement.
Some of the specific questions or provisions you might want to have a lawyer look at include:
One step up from an issue-specific contract review is a basic contract review. In this type of review, the attorney will look over the agreement on the surface level, answer any burning questions you have about the agreement, and note any areas in the contract that could use some attention.
Most basic contract reviews take place over the phone or through email, so they lack the personal touch you may want.
If you’re seeking something a little more comprehensive, you might appreciate a basic contract review plus edits. Not only will the lawyer review the contract and make notes about problem areas, but they’ll also edit the contract to correct the issues. This is known as redlining a contract and can greatly speed up the entire process.
If you’re not confident handling your contract at all, this is the level of contract review you’ll need to choose. Basically, your lawyer will handle everything for you, including reviewing, editing, redlining, and negotiating the contract.
In serious contracts, negotiating can be difficult, as emotions can get heated between you and the other party. You might just keep going back and forth with neither side giving way. A lawyer can come into this situation as an uninvolved third party so you can finally make some progress with negotiations.
