Course overview
Business teams make contractual commitments every day through proposals, purchase orders, emails, supplier terms and signed agreements. Poorly defined obligations, unauthorised promises, weak liability wording and missed notice deadlines can turn a manageable commercial issue into a costly dispute. This course helps participants identify the legal and commercial consequences before commitments are made, and manage contracts properly after signature.
Participants examine the contract lifecycle from formation and authority through drafting, negotiation, performance, change control, breach, remedies, termination and dispute resolution. They apply English common-law contract principles and learn where statutory controls, procurement rules, data protection, intellectual property, anti-bribery and sanctions requirements affect contractual terms. The course develops the ability to read contracts critically, identify red flags, propose workable amendments and explain risk decisions to operational and senior stakeholders.
Teaching combines concise legal briefings with clause analysis, contract-review cases, negotiation simulations, drafting work and facilitated group discussion. Participants work progressively on realistic commercial scenarios, including outsourced services, technology supply and procurement arrangements. They leave with a contract review and negotiation dossier containing a risk matrix, issue log, redrafted clauses, negotiation plan and contract administration plan. A certificate of completion is issued to participants who complete the course.
The programme suits commercial, procurement, contract-management, project, sales and operational professionals who work with business agreements and need greater confidence when identifying, negotiating and administering contractual risk. It is also suitable for managers who approve contracts or oversee third-party relationships without serving as legal counsel.