Whether you are just starting your business, or have been operating for years, you will inevitably need a contract to govern your relationship with partners, vendors, and clients. Every contract presents significant opportunity, as well as significant risk. 

In the high-stakes world of technology, it is especially important to ensure that contracts are well constructed and thoroughly cover the working relationship you are establishing. A single ambiguous clause can lead to disputes, interrupted projects, and even a loss of valuable intellectual property. 

With so much on the line, working with a contract lawyer to ensure the completeness of your contracts is a must. Contract lawyers do more than simply create a contract – they help you create a solid foundation for your business, its partnerships, and its interactions with clients. 

SVTech is a leading contract lawyer, serving technology focused clients in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our expertise has helped our clients create strong working relationships with their partners and clients, while safeguarding their interests and positioning them for success.

Today, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about contract legal work, as well as how to select the right contract lawyer for your business's future.  

The Role of Contract Lawyers

While you may think of a contract lawyer as someone you hire to review contracts, contract lawyers offer a much more comprehensive approach to your business's legal needs. 

Contract lawyers draw on years of experience, honed by working on thousands of contracts, to provide their services to clients. They work as legal architects who design, meticulously review, and fortify agreements that form the very backbone of your business relationships.

The core functions of a contract lawyer include:

Drafting Contracts

A contract lawyer or contract attorney can draft a wide variety of legal contracts from scratch, tailored to your business needs. Whether you need a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) or a complex software licensing agreement, a contract lawyer will help you anticipate the challenges of the relationship, and create a clearly defined contract that outlines the rights and responsibilities of all parties. 

Reviewing Contracts

When an organization is presented with a contract written by another party, it is essential they hire a lawyer to review the contract for hidden risks, unfavorable terms, and legal loopholes. This is a key function of a lawyer for contracts – they use their developed experience to “see around the corner” to spot potential issues that an untrained eye would miss. They can then propose revisions that mitigate risk like unfair liability provisions or vague termination clauses. 

Negotiating Contracts

The help of a contract attorney is vital in negotiating with the other party's legal team. Attorneys experienced in contract legal work can help you negotiate more favorable terms for your business, and ensure that you are not at risk of being locked into a disadvantageous contract.

Entering any contract without hiring a lawyer to review or negotiate the contract is like walking a tight-rope without a safety net. By working with a contract lawyer, you ensure that every word and every phrase of the contract is fair or favorable to you, and helps you avoid unacceptable risks.

Why Technology Companies in Particular Need a Contract Attorney

Businesses in virtually every industry need contract legal work. But the need for a contract attorney is particularly acute for technology companies. 

That is because the risks for emerging and large-scale technology companies are significantly higher than other industries. 

The contracts signed by technology companies are more than just paperwork – they define the foundation and contours of your entire business. Because the importance of these contracts is so critical, working with a contract attorney is a fundamental investment in your business. 

A contract attorney helps you:

• Manage Risk and Liability: Without hiring a lawyer to review contracts, you might unknowingly agree to terms that can put your company in a risky position, or carry significant financial repercussions. A contracts lawyer ensures that your most valuable assets like intellectual property and trade secrets are protected in your contracts. 

• Ensure Clarity and Enforceability: An ambiguous contract can leave you open to potential disputes and even lawsuits, while a poorly written contract can become difficult to enforce. Contract lawyers ensure that the terms and conditions of every contract you enter into are clear, concise, and legally binding. Without this clarity, things can quickly go wrong. 

• Save Time and Money: Some businesses may scoff at the initial costs of hiring a lawyer to review a contract as an unjustified expense. But compared to the cost of a financially draining lawsuit or the cost to your business of losing your intellectual property, the cost of a contract attorney like a solid insurance policy is a worthwhile investment. 

The Power of a Strategic Partnership with a Contract Lawyer

Despite the importance of contracts, many businesses make the mistake of only hiring a lawyer to review contracts when a new one is on the table. But viewing your relationship with a contract lawyer as a one-off service is a limited perspective. 

The most successful tech companies take a proactive approach to contracts, and establish long-term, strategic relationships with their contract attorneys.

Doing so provides a number of benefits, and shifts the relationship from a purely transactional nature, to a collaborative effort.

Working long-term with a contracts lawyer will:

• Build Institutional Knowledge: Establishing a long-term relationship with a contracts lawyer helps them get to know and understand the needs of your business on a deeper level than a one-off project. They become familiar with your business model, risk tolerance, and industry-specific regulations. This allows them to provide customized advice on your future agreements based on their in-depth knowledge of your business. 

• Develop Standardized Templates: Some contract legal work, such as vendor agreements and non-disclosure agreements, may be used many times over the course of your business life. A trusted legal partner who understands your business can draft standardized contract templates for these and other common scenarios, saving you time, and ensuring consistency across your organization. 

• Provide Strategic Advice: Contract lawyers do more than review contracts. They offer strategic guidance and advice on how to structure contracts with your long-term business goals in mind. 

As a technology company, you're going to need more than a one-off set of contracts. Establishing a long-term relationship with a contracts attorney gives you a partnership that will benefit you now and long into the future. 

How to Select the Best Contract Lawyer for Your Business

Finding the right contract lawyer for your business is an important decision. Here are our best practices on what to look for when making this crucial decision:

1. Technology Industry Experience: While there are many highly capable contract lawyers, choosing one with experience in the technology industry is key. That is because the technology industry faces unique challenges and a legal landscape that is far different from what traditional businesses see. From intellectual property rights, to data privacy compliance, you need someone who understands the issues technology companies face. 

2. Clear Communication: The ideal contract attorney for your business will be able to cut through the legalese and explain complex ideas in a way that you can understand. They should also make you feel comfortable and at ease when discussing your business, and clearly articulate the risks and benefits of each contract you work together on. 

3. Qualifications and Testimonials: The contract attorney you choose to work with must have the necessary credentials. Any reputable law firm should also be able to provide references and non-confidential examples of their work and successes. Any one who fails to offer these should raise an immediate red flag. 

SVTech: Trusted Contract Lawyer Serving the Bay Area and the Country Nationwide

Hiring a contract attorney is a crucial decision for any business, but tech companies in particular must be extremely selective when choosing the right partner to handle their contract legal work. By working with a qualified and experienced technology contract lawyer, you protect your business from unforeseen risks and ensure that your contracts are comprehensive and legally enforceable. 

It's also highly beneficial to view contract lawyers as an ongoing partner in your business's success, and not just a one-off service. Establishing a long-term working relationship with a contact lawyer is a sound investment in your company's safety and stability that can help you for years to come.  

When you're ready to protect your business with expert legal guidance and iron-clad technology contracts, contact SVTech. For 25 years, we've served emerging to large technology companies with expert legal advice and contract legal work as they establish their presence in Silicon Valley and beyond.

Contact SVtech today for an initial, no-obligation consultation and let us help you successfully draft and negotiate your next contract. 

**Disclaimer**

The information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult with a qualified attorney to address your specific legal needs.