No excuse for missing the ‘small print’!

When it comes to legal advice, timing, as with so many things in life, is everything. This is particularly true with contracts.

We do from time to time get asked to review a contract which has already been signed, in the hope that we can provide comfort that all is fine and there is no nasty ‘small print’ that has been missed.

Similarly, we often see situations where advice is only being sought once a particular issue has arisen. Again, this is done more in hope than expectation that the contract provides the favourable scenario that the client is looking for.

In both cases the timing is clearly not ideal. Legal advice should be the fence at the top of the cliff not the ambulance at the bottom. Getting advice at the right time can avoid unwanted and costly consequences later. Far better to get advice that is preventative than have to get help with damage limitation.

A reluctance to seek some legal advice before a contract is signed can partly be due to time pressures, but it can also be due to a concern about the costs that might be involved. The reality however is that the input needed to resolve potential problems with a contract need not be time consuming or expensive. But fixing the problems ‘after the event’ can be.

In January our IP, Data and Contracts (IPDC) team is fully launching its ‘Small Print’ Service to help address these concerns. The ‘Small Print’ Service is a monthly subscription contract support package for SMEs which allows for certainty over legal fees and easy access to prompt, pragmatic advice that helps identify the small print that you might miss.

There are four options available. All options involve access to portal guidance and templates and to a quick call helpdesk. The range of options reflects the different use cases we see with our clients. Some clients are only looking for help with NDAs and some general contract guidance, others need help with their templates or to have contracts reviewed and revised, and some will need the full range of contract support services, including negotiation and tailored training. The options even cover advice on US contracts.

There is no long tie in involved and there are no strict limits on usage or limits on time.