Contracts Drafting and Negotiation Seminar – Fall 2012
Contact Information:
John Ritsick
Cell phone – 720.261.1420
Class Email Address:
jrcontractsclass@gmail.com
Office Hours:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm-7:30pm and by appointment
Texts:
Required:
DRAFTING CONTRACTS, Tina L. Stark
(associated website: http://www.aspenlawschool.com/books/stark_contracts/default.asp)
GETTING TO YES, Roger Fisher and William Ury
Recommended:
A MANUAL OF STYLE FOR CONTRACT DRAFTING, Kenneth A. Adams (2d. Ed.)
Grades: Grades will be a combination of class participation, completion of Exercises, quality of Exercises and a final
project (which may be in the form of an in-class exercise or final). Absences will result in lost points for participation.
Consistent and substantive participation in class may result in the award of extra points. I will follow the School’s
mandated curve for final grades.
Exercises:
 Except as noted, references below to Exercises refer to the exercises in Stark’s Drafting Contracts.
 Students will deliver completed Exercises in Word (or Word-compatible format) to the class email address at
least one hour in advance of the start of the assigned class.
 Many of the longer exercises that would require greater amounts of typing are available for copying at:
http://www.aspenlawschool.com/books/stark_contracts/custom1materials.asp.
 Students will label exercises and use redlining in accordance with procedures explained in class.
 Days marked “None” or “In-class” for the Exercises entry means that there is no obligation to submit any
exercise prior to the class.
I reserve the right to adjust the syllabus as the semester progresses.
Class
No.
1.
2.
Reading Assignment
Introduction
- Stark, pp. 3-10
- Frigaliment Importing Co. v. B.N.S. Int’l Sales
Corp.
(http://law.scu.edu/FacWebPage/Neustadter/contrac
tsebook/main/cases/FrigalimentInterp.html)
- Recommended: Adams, xxv-xxxi
Translating Business Terms Into Contract
Language:
- Stark, pp. 11-34
Exercises
None
None
In-class exercise
3.
Parts of a Contract
- Stark, pp. 37-48
Ex. 5-1, 5-2
4.
Ambiguity/Contract Interpretation
- Stark, pp. 235-261
- Travelers Ins. v. Saint-Gobain Tech. Fabrics
Canada
(http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/070131u1.html#c
x) (focus on the warranty claim, skim the procedural
stuff)
- Recommended: Adams, Chpt. 10 and 11
Ex. 21-4, 21-6, 21-7
5.
Legalese and Ease of Reading
- Stark, pp. 201-226
- Recommended: Adams, Chpt. 16
18-1 through 18-7
6.
Clear Drafting – Format, Sentence Structure and
Numbers
- Stark, pp. 227-234, 263-274
Ex. 19-1, 19-2, 20-1, 20-2, 20-3, 20-6, 22
7.
Introductory Provisions and Definitions
- Stark, pp. 49-93
- Milne v. Milne Const. Co.
(http://law.justia.com/cases/oregon/court-ofappeals/2006/a125253.html)
- Recommended: Chpt. 5
Ex. 6-1, 6-3, 7-7
8.
Action Sections
- Stark, pp. 95-107
Ex. 8-2, 8-3
9.
Understanding the Deal
- Stark, pp. 303-318
- Assignment of deal memo
Ex. 25-1, 25-2, 25-3
10.
Getting to Yes Part 1
- Fisher & Ury, 3-80
(- Position handouts provided in class)
TBD
11.
Non-Disclosure & Confidentiality
- http://www.ccjer.org/confidentiality-agreementswhat-every-business-lawyer-should-know-fromorange-county-lawyer-magazine-october-2010-vol52-no-10-page-10.html
In class: negotiation and drafting exercise
- Gognat v. Ellsworth, Colo., 09SC963 (2011)
- NDA exercise materials (assigned)
12.
Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Rights
- Stark, pp. 113-132
- http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2009/09/20/rs-andws-a-handy-558-word-analysis/ (try to read through
some of the related threads, as well)
- http://www.adamsdrafting.com/downloads/AdamsBusiness-Law-Today-Nov.-Dec.%202005.pdf
Ex. 9-1, 9-2
- Uniform Commercial Code Art. 2, Sec. 313
13.
Covenants, Rights and Conditions
- Stark, pp. 125-145
- Recommended: Adams, pp. 31-65
Ex. 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, 12-1
- Deal memo first draft due
14.
Discretion and Obligation
pp. 147-156
Ex. 14-1, 14-2
15.
Complex Provisions – Indemnification
- Stark, pp. 293-299
In-class: negotiation and drafting exercise
- UDC-Universal Dev., LP v. CH2M Hill
(http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1
4705175541216899981&q=UDCUniversal+v.+CH2M+Hill,+%282010%29+181+Cal.
App.4th+10&hl=en&as_sdt=2,6&as_vis=1)
- Article
http://www.dealeyrenton.com/Riskreviews/data/CH2
MHill%20case%20Weil%20AIA%20article%20&%2
0Indemnity%20Samples.pdf
- Indemnification provisions (assigned)
16.
Memo Review
Memo review
17.
Memo Review
Memo review
18.
Getting to Yes Part 2
- Fisher & Ury, pp. 97-148
TBD
19.
“Endgame” Provisions
Stark, pp. 157-163
Termination Contract exercise (assigned)
In-class negotiation and drafting exercise
20.
Boilerplate
Stark, pp. 167-185
16-4, 16-5, 16-10
21.
Signatures
Stark, pp. 187-196
http://www.isaacbowman.com/the-history-ofelectronic-signature-laws
- E-Sign
(http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/15/usc_sup_01_
15_10_96.html) (skim)
- UETA
(http://www.law.upenn.edu/bll/archives/ulc/ecom/uet
a_final.pdf) (only briefly skim the commentary)
(skim)
- http://www.davidpetersson.com/2010/10/03/chopit-the-usage-of-chops-in-the-chinese-businessenvironment/
Memo to be assigned
22.
Amendments, Consent & Waiver
In-class exercise
- Stark, pp. 361-374
- Position handouts
23.
Miscellaneous Considerations
- Stark, pp. 275-288
Ex. 23-1, 23-2
24.
Negotiation Exercise
Position handouts
In-class exercise
25.
The Drafting Process
- Stark, pp. 321-344
Ex. 27-1, 27-3
26.
Reviewing a Contract
- Stark, pp. 345-358
Ex. 28-1
27.
Purchase Agreements
- Review position handouts
- Review materials for Ex. 31-1 and 31-2 per
handouts
Ex. 31-1 and 31-2 per handouts
28.
Reserved
Reserved
29.
Ethical Considerations
- Stark, pp. 377-407
Ex. 30-1 through 30-5
(be sure to refer to the Appendix)
30.
Conclusion/Final