ops-contract-review

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English

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Translation

Chinese

Business Contract Review

商业合同审查

Framework

框架

IRON LAW: Read the Entire Contract, Not Just the Commercial Terms

Price and scope are negotiated carefully. Liability, indemnification,
termination, and IP ownership are often accepted on autopilot.
These "back-of-contract" clauses are where the real risk lives.

A great price with unlimited liability is a terrible deal.

IRON LAW: Read the Entire Contract, Not Just the Commercial Terms

Price and scope are negotiated carefully. Liability, indemnification,
termination, and IP ownership are often accepted on autopilot.
These "back-of-contract" clauses are where the real risk lives.

A great price with unlimited liability is a terrible deal.

Contract Review Checklist (Business Focus)

合同审查清单（商业聚焦）

1. Parties & Authority

Correct legal entity names (not a subsidiary you didn't intend to contract with)
Signer has authority to bind the organization

2. Scope & Deliverables

Clearly defined: what is included AND what is excluded
Acceptance criteria: how do you determine delivery is satisfactory?
Change order process: how are scope changes handled and priced?

3. Payment Terms

Payment schedule: milestones, monthly, upon delivery
Payment terms: net 30, net 60, upon receipt
Late payment consequences
Currency and exchange rate risk (for international contracts)

4. Term & Termination

Contract duration: fixed term vs auto-renewal
Termination for convenience: can either party exit? With what notice?
Termination for cause: what constitutes a breach?
Wind-down obligations: what happens after termination? Data return? Transition assistance?

5. Liability & Indemnification

Liability cap: is there one? What's the amount? (ideally = contract value)
Indemnification: who indemnifies whom? For what? Is it mutual or one-sided?
Exclusions: consequential damages, lost profits — are they excluded?
Insurance requirements: does either party need to carry insurance?

6. Intellectual Property

Who owns work product created during the contract?
Pre-existing IP: remains with original owner (ensure this is stated)
License grants: what rights does each party get to use the other's IP?

7. Confidentiality

Definition of confidential information (not too broad, not too narrow)
Duration: how long after termination?
Exceptions: publicly available info, independently developed, legally compelled

8. Dispute Resolution

Governing law: which jurisdiction?
Arbitration vs litigation: arbitration is faster and private, litigation is cheaper for small claims
Venue: where are disputes heard?

1. 合同主体与授权

确认法律实体名称正确（而非你无意签约的子公司）
签约人具备约束组织的授权

2. 范围与交付成果

明确界定：包含内容与排除内容
验收标准：如何判定交付成果达标？
变更流程：范围变更如何处理及定价？

3. 付款条款

付款计划：里程碑付款、月度付款、交付后付款
付款期限：净30天、净60天、收到后即付
逾期付款后果
货币与汇率风险（针对国际合同）

4. 合同期限与终止

合同期限：固定期限 vs 自动续约
任意终止：双方是否均可退出？需提前多久通知？
因故终止：哪些情况构成违约？
终止后义务：终止后需履行哪些事项？数据返还？过渡协助？

5. 责任与赔偿

责任上限：是否存在上限？金额多少？（理想情况为合同总价值）
赔偿条款：谁向谁赔偿？针对哪些情况？是双向还是单向？
责任排除：是否排除间接损失、利润损失？
保险要求：任何一方是否需要购买保险？

6. 知识产权（IP）

合同期间产生的工作成果归谁所有？
原有IP：归原所有者所有（需在合同中明确）
许可授予：双方对对方IP拥有哪些使用权限？

7. 保密条款

保密信息的定义（既不过于宽泛也不过于狭窄）
保密期限：终止后持续多久？
例外情况：公开可得信息、独立开发信息、法律强制披露信息

8. 争议解决

管辖法律：适用哪个司法管辖区的法律？
仲裁 vs 诉讼：仲裁更快且保密，小额索赔时诉讼成本更低
管辖地：争议在何处审理？

Risk Rating

风险评级

Risk Level	Characteristics	Action
🟢 Low	Market-standard terms, balanced obligations	Sign
🟡 Medium	Some one-sided clauses, manageable risk	Negotiate specific clauses
🔴 High	Unlimited liability, no exit, one-sided IP	Don't sign without major revisions

风险等级	特征	行动建议
🟢 低	符合市场标准条款，义务平衡	签署合同
🟡 中	存在部分单方条款，风险可控	协商特定条款
🔴 高	无限责任、无退出权、单方IP所有权	未大幅修订前请勿签署

Output Format

输出格式

markdown

undefined

markdown

undefined

Contract Review: {Agreement Type} with {Counterparty}

Overview

Type: {service/vendor/partnership/license}
Value: {$X}
Term: {duration}

Type: {service/vendor/partnership/license}
Value: {$X}
Term: {duration}

Risk Assessment

Area	Risk	Issue	Recommendation
Scope	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
Payment	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
Termination	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
Liability	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
IP	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
Confidentiality	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}

Area	Risk	Issue	Recommendation
Scope	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
Payment	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
Termination	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
Liability	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
IP	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}
Confidentiality	🟢/🟡/🔴	{finding}	{action}

Red Flags

{specific clause + why it's risky}

{specific clause + why it's risky}

Negotiation Priorities

{most important change to request}
{second priority}
{third priority}

{most important change to request}
{second priority}
{third priority}

Overall Risk: 🟢/🟡/🔴

{Summary recommendation: sign / negotiate / reject}

undefined

{Summary recommendation: sign / negotiate / reject}

undefined

Gotchas

注意事项

Auto-renewal without notice deadline: Many contracts auto-renew unless you give 30-90 days' notice. Calendar the notice deadline immediately upon signing.
"Standard" contracts are NOT neutral: The drafter's "standard" template protects the drafter. Everything is negotiable.
Verbal agreements are risky: "They said they'd cover that" means nothing if it's not in the contract. If it's important, it must be written.
Force majeure scope: Post-COVID, check what's included. Pandemic? Supply chain disruption? Government orders? Too narrow = no protection when you need it.
This is a business review, not legal advice: For contracts with significant financial or legal exposure, have a licensed attorney review the final version.

无通知期限的自动续约：许多合同会自动续约，除非你提前30-90天发出通知。签署后请立即将通知截止日期添加至日历。
“标准”合同并非中立：起草方的“标准”模板是为保护起草方利益而设计的。所有条款均可协商。
口头协议风险高：“他们说会涵盖那部分内容”在合同中未体现的话毫无意义。若事项重要，必须以书面形式纳入合同。
不可抗力范围：后疫情时代，需核查不可抗力包含哪些情况。疫情？供应链中断？政府指令？范围过窄=需要时无法获得保护。
本内容为商业审查，非法律建议：对于涉及重大财务或法律风险的合同，请务必让持牌律师审查最终版本。

References

参考资料

For contract law fundamentals, see the law-contract skill
For negotiation tactics, see the ops-negotiation skill

如需了解合同法基础，请查看law-contract技能
如需谈判策略，请查看ops-negotiation技能