When parties to an agreement intend it to have legal effect, that agreement is called a contract. In New York, contracts may be oral or written, as long as both parties have the same understanding of the terms of the agreement. Businesses most often prefer the reliability of written contracts in their transactions. These instruments are best written by those with an understanding of the law, since the intent behind a contract is to give it legal effect.

Negotiating a Contract in Kingston

Along with certain clauses that should be included in every Kingston 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. The terms of the contract may be determined based on clear expectations if both parties are forthright about their intentions early on. Also, parties may want to discuss whether they need a provision for resolving any disputes under the contract.

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 Kingston, New York to add or remove provisions, 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, form contracts will often contain language that is difficult to understand outside the legal community. This can cause disagreement over the meaning of a term. An attorney can ensure that a written contract matches the intent of the parties, both with form contracts and in negotiations. In Kingston, many Attorneys specialize in New York contract law.