This is the second post in a 3-part series; click here for Part 1.

This is the first post in a 3-part series.

When business negotiations are in full swing, clients are typically focused on bottom line business objectives, content to leave the lawyers to hash out standard legal provisions. However, certain legal provisions can also impact business risk, enough so that clients should understand how they work and what can be done to avoid unnecessary risk. One such provision that often receives little attention from clients is contract damages. However, the reality is that negotiating the scope of allowable damages requires a strategic examination of the risks inherent in the transaction and their possible impact on your position in the event of a breach of contract.

Our team negotiates a lot of contracts and works with many clients across a broad range of industries. Over the years, we've noticed a varied approach to the contract negotiation process.  Some clients are highly involved, participating on every call and paying close attention to details, while others prefer to remain in the background and jump in only when directed by their lawyer.  However, the vast majority of business people fall somewhere in the middle – leading the negotiation of core terms such as price and payment terms – then deferring to legal counsel to handle provisions such as indemnification, limitation on liability and other legal boilerplate.