A contract in Virginia is an agreement made by parties that intend their agreement to have legal effect. As long as parties to a contract have the same understanding about the contractual terms, the contract might either be written or entirely oral. Most businesses want to solidify their agreements in writing so that they can rely on them in the future. Since many legal principles might be involved, drafting a contract works best when done with as much knowledge of the law as possible.

Negotiating a Contract in Radford

Along with particular clauses that should be included in every Radford 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 upfront about your intentions early on can be helpful, because it allows the terms of the contract to be decided 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

Many Radford, Virginia Lawyers use form contracts as a template for any new agreement. The attorney will add or remove contract provisions that the parties want, plus modify the specific language of the form contract to meet the parties' needs. This usually saves all parties time and money. There are risks to using a contract that neither party has written, particularly if you proceed without the guidance of an attorney. First, form contracts have the tendency to go unread. Any party who does not carefully review all the contract clauses can be left unaware of their obligations under the contract. Second, form contracts often use words and language understood only within the legal community. This may cause parties to agree to a clause they don't really understand. Whether you negotiate or use a form, an attorney can help ensure that the written contract matches your intent. Many Lawyers in Radford are experts in Virginia contract law.