A contract review is easier to discuss when the intended deal is clear. This preparation checklist helps you describe the transaction, organise the available documents, and identify the points you want to understand. It does not determine whether an agreement is appropriate or enforceable in your circumstances.
THE CENTRAL QUESTION
Bring the deal into focus.
Compare the practical arrangement with the document you are being asked to sign.
Describe the real arrangement
Write down what each side is expected to do, how the work will be measured, and when payment is expected. Compare that description with the draft and record the questions it raises. Supporting proposals, specifications, or email discussions may be important to understanding the commercial background.
Identify pressure points
Consider the situations that would cause practical difficulty: a delay, a changed requirement, an unexpected cost, or the need to end the relationship. These are discussion prompts for your adviser, not conclusions about the effect of particular clauses. Record the business priority behind each concern.
Prepare for the review conversation
Provide the latest draft with any attachments and explain whether there are earlier signed documents. Identify who is involved in negotiation, what has already been agreed commercially, and which points remain open. A lawyer can then discuss the scope of review required rather than relying on an incomplete extract.
MAKE IT PRACTICAL
Your preparation checklist.
Select items as you prepare. Your selections stay on this page only.
General information, not individual legal advice. Services and engagement terms are subject to firm confirmation.