Have Contracts Reviewed Before You Sign

Contract Review

If you sign a contract without understanding it, you find out what it says when there is a dispute – which is exactly when it is too late to change anything. Have the important contracts reviewed by a lawyer before you sign.

For expats signing contracts in Germany: Even if you receive an English translation or the contract is written in English, German law governs unless specifically agreed otherwise. The English text does not change the legal framework. And a clause that seems standard in a UK or US context may be void, enforceable in an unexpected way, or simply missing the protection you are accustomed to.

What I Review

It is usually not just a question of whether the contract is legally valid. A contract can be fully valid and still be bad for you.

Harmless-sounding liability clauses can hide significant exposure. Notice periods and contract terms can be disproportionate. Jurisdiction clauses can be absurd – placing disputes in a city you have never heard of. Penalty clauses may be excessive, or absent when they should be there. There are plenty of traps.

I also review what the contract does not say. If important questions are left open, the statute fills the gap – which is not necessarily a disaster, but you should know about it before you sign.

What Helps Before the Review

The clearer you are about what you want from the contract, the more focused the review can be. A contract review is not a full legal commentary on every clause. It is an assessment of the material risks and a recommendation on what to renegotiate.

If you are being pressured to sign quickly, say so. Sometimes a fast check of the critical points is all that is needed.

Smaller Contracts

Not every contract review makes economic sense. If the contract value is EUR 500, think about the proportionality first. What I can offer in such cases: a quick look at the biggest risks, which is usually enough.

After the Review: Negotiation

The outcome of a review is sometimes a list of amendments – which I am happy to negotiate with the other side.

Sometimes the outcome is: this point is not negotiable, and you should know that before you sign.

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