Business & Contract Law for International Lawyers

This seminar, Part One of the Commercial Contracts School, Dubai, or a ‘stand alone’ seminar offers a wide-ranging and detailed understanding of contract law for legal advisors and commercial executives. Presented by an international specialist in the field, the seminar shall enable participants to effectively draft and negotiate contracts with knowledge and confidence.

THE FULL COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS SCHOOL

The full week delivers an excellent opportunity to bring not just yourself but your whole team up-to-date with current best practice in commercial contracts training for international lawyers and commercial executives. It’s unique format consists of 3 connecting programmes, providing the opportunity for you to attend the whole week, or just the elements of the programme that are relevant to you. Or perhaps different members of the team can attend different elements.

PART 1

Business and Contract Law for International Lawyers
8-9 February 2009

PART 2

International Contract Negotiation
10 February 2009

PART 3

Liabilities and Damages in International Commercial Contracts/Agreements
11-12 February 2009

SAVE $600/£340/$440!

BOOK THE WHOLE WEEK OF THE COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS SCHOOL, DUBAI AND RECEIVE A $600/£340/$440 DISCOUNT. Plus Multiple Booking discounts available!

Who should attend?

• Lawyers working in business, government and private practice.

• All those working in a legal context but not necessarily having law as their underlying professional quali?cation, including contract managers, commercial managers and directors.

THE COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS

PART ONE: Business and Contract Law for International Lawyers

DAY ONE – 8th February 2009

Tools, techniques and terminology when creating a formal contract

• Informal contracts
• Standard terms
• Letter of intent
• Memorandum of understanding
• Binding or non-binding

PRACTICAL DRAFTING WORKSHOP
Pre-contract documents and enforceability

Offer and acceptance

• Defning the number of offers that can be on the table at any time
• Understanding what is a counter offer
• Examining what constitutes acceptance

Getting to grips with how the law changes what you thought you had agreed to

• What are implied terms and where do you use them
• Working within government restrictions
• Misrepresentation
• International convention

Understanding and effective drafting payment obligations

• Advance/stage payments
• Retention monies
• The role of bonds
• Credit insurance
• Letters of credit

Including constructive performance obligations

• Specifc performance
• Condition precedents
• Delivery
• Force Majeure
• The Doctrine of Frustration

Key clauses and how they are interpreted in different countries

• Best efforts and reasonable endeavours
• Confidentiality clauses
• Penalty clause
• Assignment clauses
• Termination
• Post contractual obligations

When things go wrong – Limit contractual risk for your organisation

• Identifying the areas of potential claims
• Examining claims in contract
• Examining claims in tort
• What are the claims under other headings
• Insurance

PRACTICAL DRAFTING EXERCISE
In this session participants will practice drafting contract terms and receive practical advice and guidance on how they can develop in this area.

THE COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS

PART ONE: Business and Contract Law for International Lawyers

DAY TWO – 9th February 2009

Making defences to breach of contract

• Misrepresentation
• Duress
• Mistake
• Negligent mis-statement

Termination – Understanding how and when contracts end

• Duration
• Remedying defaults
• Events
• Liquidation
• Change of control
• Post termination

Successfully resolving contractual disputes

• Drafting key provisions to minimise the risk of disputes
• ADR clauses
• Arbitration – institutional or ad hoc

PRACTICAL DRAFTING EXERCISE
In this session participants will draft standard contract terms based on the skills and knowledge developed during the day under the guidance of the expert presenter.

Some typical agreements
This session will review the terms and conditions of some typical agreements to illustrate how to avoid the legal pitfalls and challenges faced.

• Service
• Supply
• Manufacture
• Licensing

PRACTICAL WORKSHOP

Drafting and understanding boilerplate clauses

• General provisions
• Confidentiality
• Costs
• Assignment
• Entire agreement
• Notices
• Law of the contract
• Jurisdiction

Arun Singh OBE is an international lawyer at Grundberg Mocatta and Rakison LLP. He was formerly a partner and head of commercial law at KPMG Legal. Arun is cited and ranked in Chambers Guide of the World’s Leading Lawyers. He concentrates on international investment, joint ventures, licensing of technology, research and development, M&A, energy, outsourcing and corporate governance in developed and emerging markets (including Asia and the Middle East), and also handles international legal risk management matters.

He advises a range of international organisations and is a senior associate of Oxford University Institute of Legal Practice. He teaches international negotiations at Cambridge University, he also teaches and trains as a member of the joint Duke University London School of Economics Corporate Education Network. He was appointed an OBE in January 1999 for services to international trade and investment and is a non-executive director of a number of organisations including a large investment company and one listed on the UK stock exchange

Liabilities and Damages in International Commercial Agreements

International Contract Negotiations