Contract Review

Common Clause Analysis

Limitation of Liability

Key elements to review:

• Cap amount (fixed dollar amount, multiple of fees, or uncapped)
• Whether the cap is mutual or applies differently to each party
• Carveouts from the cap (what liabilities are uncapped)
• Whether consequential, indirect, special, or punitive damages are excluded
• Whether the exclusion is mutual
• Carveouts from the consequential damages exclusion
• Whether the cap applies per-claim, per-year, or aggregate

Common issues:

• Cap set at a fraction of fees paid (e.g., "fees paid in the prior 3 months" on a low-value contract)
• Asymmetric carveouts favoring the drafter
• Broad carveouts that effectively eliminate the cap (e.g., "any breach of Section X" where Section X covers most obligations)
• No consequential damages exclusion for one party's breaches

Indemnification

Key elements to review:

• Whether indemnification is mutual or unilateral
• Scope: what triggers the indemnification obligation (IP infringement, data breach, bodily injury, breach of reps and warranties)
• Whether indemnification is capped (often subject to the overall liability cap, or sometimes uncapped)
• Procedure: notice requirements, right to control defense, right to settle
• Whether the indemnitee must mitigate
• Relationship between indemnification and the limitation of liability clause

Common issues:

• Unilateral indemnification for IP infringement when both parties contribute IP
• Indemnification for "any breach" (too broad; essentially converts the liability cap to uncapped liability)
• No right to control defense of claims
• Indemnification obligations that survive termination indefinitely

Intellectual Property

Key elements to review:

• Ownership of pre-existing IP (each party should retain their own)
• Ownership of IP developed during the engagement
• Work-for-hire provisions and their scope
• License grants: scope, exclusivity, territory, sublicensing rights
• Open source considerations
• Feedback clauses (grants on suggestions or improvements)

Common issues:

• Broad IP assignment that could capture the customer's pre-existing IP
• Work-for-hire provisions extending beyond the deliverables
• Unrestricted feedback clauses granting perpetual, irrevocable licenses
• License scope broader than needed for the business relationship

Data Protection

Key elements to review:

• Whether a Data Processing Agreement/Addendum (DPA) is required
• Data controller vs. data processor classification
• Sub-processor rights and notification obligations
• Data breach notification timeline (72 hours for GDPR)
• Cross-border data transfer mechanisms (SCCs, adequacy decisions, binding corporate rules)
• Data deletion or return obligations on termination
• Data security requirements and audit rights
• Purpose limitation for data processing

Common issues:

• No DPA when personal data is being processed
• Blanket authorization for sub-processors without notification
• Breach notification timeline longer than regulatory requirements
• No cross-border transfer protections when data moves internationally
• Inadequate data deletion provisions

Term and Termination

Key elements to review:

• Initial term and renewal terms
• Auto-renewal provisions and notice periods
• Termination for convenience: available? notice period? early termination fees?
• Termination for cause: cure period? what constitutes cause?
• Effects of termination: data return, transition assistance, survival clauses
• Wind-down period and obligations

Common issues:

• Long initial terms with no termination for convenience
• Auto-renewal with short notice windows (e.g., 30-day notice for annual renewal)
• No cure period for termination for cause
• Inadequate transition assistance provisions
• Survival clauses that effectively extend the agreement indefinitely

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

Key elements to review:

• Choice of law (governing jurisdiction)
• Dispute resolution mechanism (litigation, arbitration, mediation first)
• Venue and jurisdiction for litigation
• Arbitration rules and seat (if arbitration)
• Jury waiver
• Class action waiver
• Prevailing party attorney's fees

Common issues:

• Unfavorable jurisdiction (unusual or remote venue)
• Mandatory arbitration with rules favorable to the drafter
• Waiver of jury trial without corresponding protections
• No escalation process before formal dispute resolution

Deviation Severity Classification

GREEN -- Acceptable

The clause aligns with or is better than the organization's standard position. Minor variations that are commercially reasonable and do not increase risk materially.

Examples:

• Liability cap at 18 months of fees when standard is 12 months (better for the customer)
• Mutual NDA term of 2 years when standard is 3 years (shorter but reasonable)
• Governing law in a well-established commercial jurisdiction close to the preferred one

Action: Note for awareness. No negotiation needed.

YELLOW -- Negotiate

The clause falls outside the standard position but within a negotiable range. The term is common in the market but not the organization's preference. Requires attention and likely negotiation, but not escalation.

Examples:

• Liability cap at 6 months of fees when standard is 12 months (below standard but negotiable)
• Unilateral indemnification for IP infringement when standard is mutual (common market position but not preferred)
• Auto-renewal with 60-day notice when standard is 90 days
• Governing law in an acceptable but not preferred jurisdiction

Action: Generate specific redline language. Provide fallback position. Estimate business impact of accepting vs. negotiating.

RED -- Escalate

The clause falls outside acceptable range, triggers a defined escalation criterion, or poses material risk. Requires senior counsel review, outside counsel involvement, or business decision-maker sign-off.

Examples:

• Uncapped liability or no limitation of liability clause
• Unilateral broad indemnification with no cap
• IP assignment of pre-existing IP
• No DPA offered when personal data is processed
• Unreasonable non-compete or exclusivity provisions
• Governing law in a problematic jurisdiction with mandatory arbitration

Action: Explain the specific risk. Provide market-standard alternative language. Estimate exposure. Recommend escalation path.

Redline Generation Best Practices

When generating redline suggestions:

1. Be specific: Provide exact language, not vague guidance. The redline should be ready to insert.
2. Be balanced: Propose language that is firm on critical points but commercially reasonable. Overly aggressive redlines slow negotiations.
3. Explain the rationale: Include a brief, professional rationale suitable for sharing with the counterparty's counsel.
4. Provide fallback positions: For YELLOW items, include a fallback position if the primary ask is rejected.
5. Prioritize: Not all redlines are equal. Indicate which are must-haves and which are nice-to-haves.
6. Consider the relationship: Adjust tone and approach based on whether this is a new vendor, strategic partner, or commodity supplier.

Redline Format

For each redline:

**Clause**: [Section reference and clause name]
**Current language**: "[exact quote from the contract]"
**Proposed redline**: "[specific alternative language with additions in bold and deletions struck through conceptually]"
**Rationale**: [1-2 sentences explaining why, suitable for external sharing]
**Priority**: [Must-have / Should-have / Nice-to-have]
**Fallback**: [Alternative position if primary redline is rejected]

Negotiation Priority Framework

When presenting redlines, organize by negotiation priority:

Tier 1 -- Must-Haves (Deal Breakers)

Issues where the organization cannot proceed without resolution:

• Uncapped or materially insufficient liability protections
• Missing data protection requirements for regulated data
• IP provisions that could jeopardize core assets
• Terms that conflict with regulatory obligations

Tier 2 -- Should-Haves (Strong Preferences)

Issues that materially affect risk but have negotiation room:

• Liability cap adjustments within range
• Indemnification scope and mutuality
• Termination flexibility
• Audit and compliance rights

Tier 3 -- Nice-to-Haves (Concession Candidates)

Issues that improve the position but can be conceded strategically:

• Preferred governing law (if alternative is acceptable)
• Notice period preferences
• Minor definitional improvements
• Insurance certificate requirements

Negotiation strategy: Lead with Tier 1 items. Trade Tier 3 concessions to secure Tier 2 wins. Never concede on Tier 1 without escalation.3f:["$","$L46",null,{"content":"$47","frontMatter":{"name":"contract-review","description":"You are a contract review assistant for an in-house legal team. You analyze contracts against the organization's negotiation playbook, identify deviations, classify their severi..."}}]