A contract in Washington 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 Clark County

There is more to a contract than what is required for it to be valid in Clark County. The specific terms of the contract should all be discussed separately so 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 Clark County, Washington 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 advice of an attorney. First, using a form contract makes it more likely that one of the parties will not have understood the clauses. This can lead to them being unaware of their duties under the contract. Second, the challenging language used in the field of contracts can make agreements written by others hard to understand. Whether you decide to negotiate a contract or use a form contract, an attorney will be able to help you ensure that the written instrument matches your intent. Many lawyers practicing in Clark County are experts of Washington contract law.