Contract law blog

Practical guides on contract review, employment law, and commercial agreements - written in plain English.

Guides

How much does a contract review cost in the UK?

Solicitor fees, AI alternatives, and what you should actually expect to pay for a professional contract review in 2025.

Employment

Employment contract red flags - what to check before you sign

The most common issues we see in employment contracts, from restrictive covenants to hidden probation traps.

Guides

NDA checklist - 10 things to check before you sign

A plain English checklist covering scope, duration, exclusions, and the clauses that catch most people out.

Guides

Do I need a solicitor to review a contract?

When a solicitor is essential, when AI contract review is enough, and how to decide which option is right for you.

Commercial

Limitation of liability clauses explained in plain English

What liability caps and exclusions actually mean, why they matter, and what to watch out for in commercial contracts.

Employment

Restrictive covenants in employment contracts - what you need to know

Non-compete, non-solicitation, and non-dealing clauses explained. How to tell if yours are enforceable.

Employment

Consultancy agreement vs employment contract - what is the difference?

The legal and practical differences between being employed and being engaged as a consultant, including IR35 implications.

Guides

Free contract review checklist - what to look for in any contract

A practical checklist you can use right now to review any commercial contract yourself, before deciding if you need professional help.

Employment

Understanding Restrictive Covenants in Employment Contracts

What non-compete, non-solicitation and non-dealing clauses mean in practice, and how to tell if yours are enforceable under UK law.

Employment

How to Negotiate Your Employment Contract

Practical guidance on negotiating key terms — notice periods, restrictive covenants, bonus schemes and more — before you sign.

Employment

Remote Working Clauses: What Should Your Contract Say?

What a modern employment contract should say about hybrid and remote working, and the clauses that protect both sides.

Consultancy

IP Rights in Consultancy Agreements: What You Need to Know

Who owns the work a consultant creates? Understanding IP assignment, licensing and the clauses that protect your intellectual property.

Consultancy

Understanding IR35 and Consultant Contracts

How IR35 affects consultants and contractors, and what your contract needs to say to reduce the risk of HMRC reclassification.

Consultancy

Negotiating Better Payment Terms in Consulting

How to negotiate fairer payment terms in consultancy agreements — milestones, late payment penalties and protecting your cashflow.

Shareholders

Founder Disputes: What Your Shareholders Agreement Should Cover

The clauses that prevent founder disputes from destroying companies — vesting, leaver provisions, decision-making and deadlock.

Shareholders

Valuation Methods for Share Transfers: What is Fair?

How shares are valued when a shareholder leaves — net asset value, earnings multiples, and hybrid approaches explained.

Shareholders

Deadlock Clauses: How to Resolve Shareholder Disputes

Shotgun clauses, expert determination, put-call options and other mechanisms for breaking shareholder deadlocks.

NDA

Drafting Mutual NDAs: Protecting Both Sides

How to draft a mutual NDA that genuinely protects both parties, with practical guidance on scope, duration and exclusions.

NDA

NDA Remedies: Can You Actually Enforce a Breach?

What happens when someone breaches an NDA — injunctions, damages, and the practical reality of enforcement in the UK.

NDA

NDA Exclusions: What Should NOT Be Confidential

Standard NDA exclusions explained — publicly available information, independent development, and why exclusions matter.

Supply

Late Delivery and Remedies: What Your Agreement Should Say

How to protect yourself when a supplier delivers late — liquidated damages, termination rights and practical remedies.

Supply

Liability Caps in Supply Agreements: What is Reasonable?

How liability caps work in supply agreements, what is considered reasonable, and the clauses that protect both buyer and supplier.

Supply

Warranty Clauses: How to Protect Yourself as a Customer

What warranty clauses should cover, how long they should last, and what remedies you should have if the product or service fails.

Terms

Consumer Rights Act 2015: What Your Terms and Conditions Must Include

The key requirements of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and what your T&Cs must say to be compliant and enforceable.

Terms

GDPR and Your Terms and Conditions: Privacy and Data Protection

How GDPR affects your terms and conditions, what you must disclose, and the privacy clauses every business needs.

Terms

Liability Limitations in Terms and Conditions: What is Enforceable?

Which liability exclusions are enforceable and which are not — UCTA, CRA and the rules that apply to your T&Cs.

Joint Venture

Joint Venture Governance: How to Make Decisions When Partners Disagree

Decision-making structures, voting rights, and the governance mechanisms that keep joint ventures on track.

Joint Venture

Valuing Contributions in Joint Ventures: Beyond Just Money

How to value non-financial contributions — expertise, IP, networks — and build fair joint venture agreements.

Joint Venture

Exiting a Joint Venture: Your Rights and Obligations

How to exit a joint venture cleanly — notice periods, asset distribution, IP rights and post-termination restrictions.

Loan

Director's Loans: What You Need to Know About Lending to Your Company

Complete guide to directors' loans under UK law — tax rules, Companies House returns, interest and repayment obligations.

Loan

Security in Loan Agreements: Charges, Mortgages, and Guarantees

The different types of security available in UK loan agreements and how they protect lenders and affect borrowers.

Loan

Interest Rates in Loan Agreements: Simple vs Compound, Fixed vs Variable

How interest is calculated in loan agreements, what the different structures mean, and what to watch out for.

IP

Exclusive vs Non-Exclusive Licences: Which Should You Choose?

The key differences between exclusive and non-exclusive IP licences, and how to choose the right structure.

IP

Royalty Rates and Structures: Finding the Right Balance

How royalty rates are structured in IP licence agreements — percentage, flat fee, tiered and hybrid models explained.

IP

Territory and Field of Use in IP Licences: What You Need to Know

How territory and field of use restrictions work in IP licences, and why getting them right matters for both parties.

Franchise

Franchise Agreements: A Franchisee's Checklist Before You Sign

The essential checklist for anyone about to sign a franchise agreement — fees, obligations, exit rights and red flags.

Franchise

Understanding Franchise Fees: Hidden Costs You Might Miss

Beyond the franchise fee — royalties, marketing contributions, technology fees and the costs that eat into your margins.

Franchise

Non-Compete Clauses in Franchising: What's Enforceable?

How non-compete and post-termination restrictions work in franchise agreements, and what the UK courts consider reasonable.

General

Contract Red Flags: Warning Signs in Commercial Agreements

The most common red flags in commercial contracts — unlimited liability, one-sided termination, auto-renewal traps and more.

General

Automatic Renewal Clauses: How to Avoid Being Locked In

How auto-renewal clauses work, when they are enforceable, and how to protect yourself from being trapped in a contract.

General

Negotiating Better Contract Terms: A Practical Guide

A practical guide to negotiating fairer contract terms — what to focus on, how to push back, and when to walk away.

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