Our Contract Review Lawyer can help you…
1. Protect your Business
Whether you need to understand your contractual obligations, protect your business from risk or want to ensure your agreements are legally binding, our specialist Contract Review Lawyer, Rachelle Hare, has your back.
2. Reduce your Stress
Don’t take risks with your business contracts – let Blaze Business & Legal provide you with the peace of mind you deserve.
3. And Save Money
Read on to find out more!
Survey about Contract Review
I surveyed 3,843 people on the question of:
How can Contract Review save your business money?
5%
Contract Review allows you to budget and save
14%
Contract Review lets you negotiate changes
79%
Contract Review allows you to manage, mitigate and insure risk
2%
Contract Review doesn’t bring savings
To carry out effective Contract Review, it is essential to use an experienced Contract Review Lawyer who understands your business and industry.
What is Contract Review?
Contract Review Definition
Contract Review occurs when someone reads and analyses a contract at various project stages, including before and after execution. Pre-execution, the purpose of the review is to identify errors in the draft contract, make sure the contract drafting is tailored to the specific project, goods or services, and identify potential risk to be managed, mitigated, accepted or insured.
Common Contract Types
Common contracts that may need reviewing in your business include:
Joint Venture Agreements / Partnership Agreements
Your business must understand what it is committing to in entering these types of agreements
Employment Contracts
Regular employment contract review is important to ensure your business is compliant and protected against actions from disgruntled employees. For example, do you need a non compete clause that is not currently included?
Services Agreements
Services Agreements require a comprehensive contract review to ensure you understand the obligations your business will be committing to
Works Contracts
It’s important to review contracts for works to be carried out by your business, as these may attract a significant amount of potential liability
Confidentiality Agreements / Non-Disclosure Agreements
These involve a legal agreement to keep certain information confidential, and it’s critical you understand these requirements to ensure you can put in place the necessary protocols in your business.
Why Review Contracts?
Contract Reviews by experienced Contract Review Lawyers:
- Protection and Compliance – Ensure understanding of obligations, rights, and liabilities, compliance with laws, and prevention of legal issues and disputes.
- Alignment with Business Goals – Make sure the contract is aligned with business objectives and risk tolerance and that it fosters favourable terms for long-term success.
- Understanding Your Contract – Knowing exactly what you’re agreeing to, interpreting legal jargon, and ensuring fair and transparent terms helps you make informed decisions and prevents unexpected surprises. For example, the contract may contain automatic renewal language that may mean your term renews for a further term without any action being taken by either party – often renewal terms are not picked up in reviews by non-lawyers.
- Support your Legal Team – Many of our clients have their own legal team, but need our help to build capacity or provide specialist skillsets (for example, Rachelle Hare is a 23-year specialist in front-end Construction Law and Major Projects as well as being a specialist Contract Lawyer).
- Stakeholder Needs – Help you meet the needs of your internal colleagues and stakeholders within your business (or outside, eg financiers).
- Strategic Advantage – A deep understanding of your contract aligns with strategic planning, negotiation, and execution, empowering confident and decisive actions that support your business strategy.
- Risk Allocation – A clear understanding of risk allocation provisions can help your business ensure that risks are understood and can be managed, mitigated, accepted or transferred by your business.
Can you review a contract if you’re not a Contract Lawyer?
You can, and there are ways to learn how to carry out a Contract Review as a Non-Lawyer.
The problem is, unless you are a specialist Contract Review Lawyer, you often don’t know how the contract works and may miss important risks or obligations that will affect your business in the future.
You may not have the time to spend on reviewing contracts while carrying out your business as usual activities.
Do you need a specialist Contract Lawyer to help review your contracts?
Check out our video and see why it is so important to use a specialist Contract Review Lawyer to help with your Contract Review processes.
Why Choose Blaze Business & Legal as your Contract Review Lawyer?
Ways we can help you
That’s why you need Rachelle’s help. She is our expert Contract Lawyer with over 23 years of daily drafting, review of, advice on and negotiation of contracts.
Rachelle will ensure that the contract terms are clear, acceptable, and serve your business well. She will point out risks to your business and help you identify whether you can request revisions to the contract (and if so, which ones). If you need, she will also help you develop workflows to make it easier for your business to comply with its obligations under the contract.
And Rachelle can also help you negotiate any amendments with the other party or draft the necessary Statement of Departures or documentation to do so.
You can then confidently move forward with the work knowing your business is protected, and you have a comprehensive understanding of the document you’ll be signing.
What does Blaze Business & Legal offer?
Blaze Business & Legal offers:
- Specialist and Experienced Senior Lawyers – Rachelle Hare has advised thousands of different businesses across dozens of industries, private sector and government and has carried out hundreds of contract reviews over her career. She offers her Contract Review expertise in the context of this deep Industry expertise.
- Certainty of Price – We operate on a fixed-fee model, ensuring transparency over your legal fees and no surprises. You always know what we’re going to bill and when we’re going to bill it.
- Working To Your Timeframes – Our responsive review process means you get the legal support you need when you need it. We’re not bound by office hours, and we’re more than happy to start work the moment we sign you on as our client and you send us the contract. Same-day turnaround? Let us know your deadlines, and we’ll work with you to meet them.
- Identification of Legal Risks – Our Contract Review Lawyers can spot clauses that may be unfavourable and recommend provisions tailored to your business needs. And we can also advise on commercial, financial, operational, procurement, sales and other business risks and help you find ways to mitigate these risks or avoid taking on unnecessary risk.
- Compliance Assurance: Stay compliant with relevant laws and regulations. Our lawyers give the contract a thorough examination to make sure that your business can adhere to all legal requirements while performing its contractual obligations.
- Understand Future Implications – We help you understand what the contract means for your business’s future, ensuring it aligns with your goals.
- Ensure a Good Deal – Our lawyers will guide you in negotiating terms that benefit both parties involved rather than just one party, making the most out of your business relationships and making the agreement work. We can also help in any re negotiation that may be required after drafting changes and party meetings.
- Nationwide Service – Our Contract Review Lawyers are accessible across Australia, providing expert legal support wherever you are.
- Final contract execution – We help you make sure a contract is ready for execution, captures previous verbal agreements and contains the entire agreement.
- Trust and Confidence – With a Contract Review Lawyer from Blaze Business & Legal, you can proceed with confidence, knowing that your contracts are legally robust and aligned with your interests.
- Comprehensive Legal Support – From identifying unfavourable terms to suggesting necessary amendments, our Contract Review Lawyers provide end-to-end support, guiding you through the entire process.
Choosing a Contract Lawyer at Blaze Business & Legal means partnering with a legal expert who understands your needs and is committed to your success in the contract review process and more broadly. Don’t leave your business exposed to unnecessary risks – let our experienced lawyers help you review contracts and guide you through the complexities of the contract review process.
Contact Us Today! Ready to have your contracts reviewed by a professional Contract Review Lawyer? No more wasting valuable time. Contact the team at Blaze Business & Legal and discover how we can provide you with the legal and business support you need with our lawyer review.
Here’s what you can expect from our Contract Review Process
Complimentary Initial Consultations
Benefit from a free initial phone consultation with Rachelle Hare, where you can discuss any concerns about the contract, mention anything your business is particularly sensitive to, and provide any important instructions you want us to follow.
Fixed-Fee Pricing
Base Pricing
Our Contract Review packages start at $500 + GST, matching your budget and offering price certainty.
Retainer Option
If you have a number of contracts that will need reviewing on an ongoing basis, talk to Rachelle about our value-added Retainer option, where we build a partnership with your business as your ongoing Contract Lawyer.
Full Contract Review
Our experienced Contract Lawyer will thoroughly examine your legal documents, highlighting key issues and risks as well as key clauses (eg default clauses), any blank space and potential conflicts in drafting.
But we only advise you on the issues you need to know. You don’t have time to be wading through a 20-page report from us full of legal blah-blah-blah!
Fast Turnarounds
We value your time and ensure quick responses – we always work to your timeframes. Tell us when you need the review, and we’ll get it done.
Financial Benefits to your Business from Getting a Contract Review
| Number | Issue | Problem | Solution | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clarifying Scope and Costs | Ambiguities in scope and costs lead to misunderstandings and extra costs | Define exact scope and costs | Accurate budgeting, avoiding unexpected expenses, potential savings on unnecessary costs |
| 2 | Aligning Payment Schedules | Misaligned payment schedules create cash flow challenges | Negotiate payment terms to match financial cycles | Steady cash flow, precise budgeting, potential savings on interest and late fees |
| 3 | Mitigating Legal Risks | Non-compliance or liabilities lead to legal disputes | Identify and address legal risks | Avoidance of unexpected legal costs, potential savings on legal fees |
| 4 | Managing Subcontractors | Unclear terms with subcontractors lead to disputes and delays | Set clear terms and dispute resolution mechanisms | Avoidance of unexpected costs, potential savings on dispute resolution |
| 5 | Planning for Contingencies | Unforeseen circumstances disrupt the budget | Include provisions for unforeseen circumstances | Controlled budgeting, potential savings on unexpected costs |
| 6 | Ensuring Quality and Timelines | Delays or compromises in quality lead to extra expenses | Define quality standards and timelines | Avoidance of overrun costs, potential savings on delays and quality compromises |
| 7 | Protecting Against Unfair Terms | Unfair terms put the business at a financial disadvantage | Identify and negotiate unfair terms | Balanced contract, potential savings on one-sided obligations |
| 8 | Insurance | Lack of understanding of risks affects insurance planning | Understand the contract and potential risks to inform insurers | Accurate budgeting for insurance premiums, potential savings on premiums through risk mitigation |
By understanding these aspects through a contract review, a business can ensure compliance and alignment with its goals and realise significant financial benefits. These include potential savings on unnecessary costs, legal fees, dispute resolution, overrun costs, and insurance premiums.
Contract Review is a strategic investment that contributes to the business’s overall financial stability and success.
What are the benefits of using a specialist Lawyer to Review your Contracts?
1. Expertise and Precision
Contract lawyers specialise in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts. Their expertise in how they review contracts is an integral part of ensuring the terms of each contract are clear, legally binding, and tailored to your needs.
Contract Lawyers understand the nuances of contract law and how contracts work, and as they review your contracts they can identify potential pitfalls, providing you with a robust legal framework that protects your interests.
2. Alignment with your Business Needs
Contract Review Lawyers can help you make sure the contract is aligned with the specific needs and goals of your business and any contracting process you may have.
A tailored lawyer review ensures that the contract reflects the particular requirements and objectives of the parties involved plus any specific contracting events, and that you fully understand how the contract will operate for your business given the clauses that it contains.
3. Time and Cost Efficiency
A contract lawyer can save time and money in the long run by identifying the key things you need to know about the contract before signing and the likely implications for your business. They streamline the process, reducing the risk of disputes and litigation down the line.
By entrusting your contracts to a professional, you can focus on your core business activities, knowing that your legal matters are in capable hands.
4. Detailed understanding of Risk Allocation
Reviewing and understanding the risk allocation clauses in the draft contract helps you to make informed decisions for your business about potential ramifications of entering into the contract.
It allows you to assess whether the risks are acceptable or if additional safeguards are needed and how termination of the contract may eventuate. This understanding guides negotiation, risk management, and compliance, supporting a successful and resilient contractual relationship.
5. Allows Clear Communication
Contract review helps in articulating the terms and conditions clearly and unambiguously. It prevents misunderstandings by ensuring all parties have the same contract interpretation. This clarity fosters trust and collaboration, laying the foundation for a successful business relationship and ensuring you and your business are comfortable moving forward.
6. Promotes Dispute Avoidance
Misunderstandings can lead to disputes, strained relationships, and legal battles. By reviewing and clarifying the contract before signing, potential areas of confusion are identified by the contract lawyer and resolved upfront. This proactive approach minimises the risk of conflict after signing, saving time, money, and stress.
FAQs
1. What is a Contract Review?
A contract review ensures clarity, accuracy, and alignment with your business objectives. Our Contract Lawyer, Rachelle Hare, will guide you through every step, helping you make informed decisions, whether it’s on a new employment contract, the purchase of contract automation software or other form of contract.
2. How long does it take for a Contract Review Lawyer at Blaze Business & Legal to review a contract?
The time it takes for a Contract Review Lawyer to review a contract can vary widely depending on several factors:
- Complexity of the Contract: Simple contracts may be reviewed in as little as a few hours, while more complex agreements with multiple clauses and legal intricacies may take several days or even weeks.
- Specific Requirements: If you have particular concerns or need the contract to comply with specific regulations, this may add to the review time.
- Negotiation Needs: If negotiation with the other party is required, this can extend the timeline.
- Lawyer’s Availability: Our Contract Review Lawyers strive to provide prompt service, but availability can affect the turnaround time.
- Urgency: At Blaze Business & Legal, we offer expedited services for urgent needs. Please discuss your timeline with us, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your schedule.
3. Should I get a Contract Review of my Employment Contract
Unless you are experienced in reviewing and analysing Employment Contracts, it is important that you engage an experienced Lawyer to carry out a Contract Review. Things the Contract Review Lawyer will be looking for include:
- The length of the employment
- Whether the employment is full-time, part-time or casual
- Whether the employment arrangement seems to be a “sham contracting” arrangement, where you are described as an independent contractor but in reality will be carrying out an employment role (sham contracting is prohibited by law in Australia)
- Salary, salary review opportunities, bonus and benefits arrangements
- Reasons why the contract may be terminated
- Length of notice required by either party in the event of a termination of the Employment Contract
- Ownership of Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights more generally in work performed while employed
- Non-compete clauses and whether they are valid
- Job description, expectations of the employer, etc
- Any negotiated terms being reflected in the Employment Contract.
For both employers and prospective employees, an Employment Contract is the tool used to clearly describe what is expected of both parties. The contract records the understanding of the parties and can also protect you if the other party breaches the terms of the contract.
