In Illinois, when two parties come to a mutually understood agreement that they intend to have legal force, a contract is formed. There are both written and oral contracts, since all that is required is that the parties agree and understand each other. Most businesses want to solidify their agreements in writing so that they can rely on them in the future. Since many legal principles may be involved, drafting a contract works best when done with as much knowledge of the law as possible.

Negotiating a Contract in Hickory Hills

Along with specific clauses that should be included in every Hickory Hills contract for it to be valid, it is important to adequately discuss each term to make sure that the intent of each party is understood by the other. Being forthright about your intentions early on can be helpful, because it allows the terms of the contract to be determined based on clear expectations. Lastly, a clause that determines how to handle a dispute under the contract may be worthwhile to negotiate.

Using a Form Contract

It may save you time to use a form contract instead of drafting your own. Even so, you may want an attorney in Hickory Hills, Illinois to add or remove terms, or to simply make the contract language more clear. There are risks to using a contract that neither party has written, especially if you proceed without the help of an attorney. First, a party using a form contract may not have thoroughly read all the terms, and can thereby remain unaware of his performance obligations and liabilities if events do not go as planned. Second, the difficult language used in the field of contracts can make agreements written by others hard to understand. An attorney can ensure that a written contract matches the intent of the parties, both with form contracts and in negotiations. In Hickory Hills, many Attorneys specialize in Illinois contract law.