Real World Document Drafting®: Form, Style, and Substance (Professional Skills)
Why Attend?
Document drafting is critical to the successful negotiation of a deal, particularly when the details of the deal are actually negotiated by exchange of document drafts. Well-drafted legal documents not only articulate the terms of the transaction, but also protect and advance the client’s interests, reduce the likelihood of disputes, and establish the framework for successful business relationships. Nevertheless, document drafting is not intuitive. When drafting a contract or other document, the lawyer must not only clearly articulate the terms of the transaction, but also integrate legal and business concepts so as to advance the interests of the client .
This program integrates the legal principles, skills, and experience related to negotiating and drafting a range of contracts. It explores the underlying principles of contract law that apply to specific contract provisions and considers alternative ways to resolve issues in the document negotiation process. The focus is on producing readily comprehended legal documents that can serve as roadmaps for business relationships and can reduce the possibility of related litigation.
Throughout the day, the instructor will respond to participants’ comments and questions. The last half-hour of the program will be devoted to a discussion of ethics and professional responsibility issues in document drafting.
BONUS! All attendees at this program will receive a complimentary copy of the instructor's recently published book, Real World Document Drafting®: A Dispute Avoidance Approach (ALI-ABA 2008). This book will help you draft better transactional documents, franchise and distribution agreements, IP licenses, commercial leases, settlement agreements, and other documents.
What You Will Learn
How to negotiate and draft a range of contracts . . . and protect your client's interests.
Faculty
Marvin Garfinkel is counsel to the Real Estate and Intellectual Property and Information Technology Practice Groups of the Philadelphia office of WolfBlock LLP. An experienced transactional lawyer, Mr. Garfinkel has lectured and chaired courses for ALI-ABA and numerous other organizations. His areas of expertise include real estate law, including financing, defaults and workouts, common interest properties (condominiums, home owner associations, etc.), shopping center and other commercial development and commercial leasing, and business transactions. Mr. Garfinkel's extensive writings have been published in legal journals and trade publications. He has advised and served on the editorial boards of a number of legal publications, statutory drafting commissions, and projects, as well as on several Uniform Law drafting and study committees, including those involved in drafting various articles of the UCC. He was an Adviser on several American Law Institute Property Law Restatements.
All registrants at the program will receive a complimentary copy of Marvin Garfinkel’s recently published book, Real World Document Drafting®: A Dispute Avoidance Approach (ALI-ABA 2008).
To purchase the book separately at a limited-time discount, click here and add BK49 to your cart. New York City Bar members enter coupon code BK49NYCB to receive a 30% discount; non-members enter coupon code BK4915 to receive a 15% discount. (Offer expires 10/31/08.)
Program Schedule
9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Preliminary Considerations
11:00 - 11:15 a.m. Break
11:15 - 11:45 a.m. Ambiguities
11:45 - 12:30 p.m. Let's Frustrate the Litigators
12:30 - 1:00 p.m. Achieving Clarity and Avoiding Litigation
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Lunch Break
2:00 - 2:30 p.m. Achieving Clarity and Avoiding Litigation (continued)
2:30 - 3:45 p.m. Analysis of Boilerplate and Other "Generic" Provisions
3:45 - 4:00 p.m. Break
4:00 - 4:30 p.m. Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Document Drafting
4:30 p.m. Adjournment
Total 60-minute hours of instruction: 6.0, including .5 ethics; total 50-minute hours: 7.0, including .5 ethics.
For a complete brochure or to register for this program, click here or call (212) 382-6663.
Here's what registrants have said about this course:
"I have been drafting contracts for over 15 years without the benefit of a course like yours. This course would have saved me a lot of pain along the way."
"Excellent course! Mr. Garfinkel is extremely knowledgeable. He made an otherwise dry subject interesting."
"An excellent, practical program . . . . It focuses on the real issues and problems that practicing lawyers need to know. One of the best programs I've been to in years."
Accommodations
