Commercial Contracts: A Practical Guide to Standard Terms (2nd Edition)

DescriptionCommercial Contracts: A Practical Guide to Standard Terms by Dr. Richard Lawson is an essential resource for anyone involved in drafting, negotiating, or interpreting commercial agreements. This practical guide provides a comprehensive overview of the legal principles underpinning commercial contracts, offering detailed advice on crafting watertight legal agreements and understanding standard terms and conditions. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the formation of contracts, common and specific clauses, issues related to export, software, and consumer contracts, as well as remedies for breach. It incorporates important recent case law and legislative changes, providing expert guidance on both business-to-business and business-to-consumer agreements. With its clear structure and practical focus, this book is an invaluable tool for legal practitioners, business professionals, and students seeking to master the complexities of commercial contracting.Authors BiographyDr. Richard Lawson is a distinguished author in the field of commercial law, particularly known for his expertise in contract law and drafting. He has authored several authoritative legal texts, providing practical guidance to legal professionals and students. His works are highly regarded for their clarity, comprehensive coverage, and practical applicability. Dr. Lawson’s contributions to legal literature reflect a deep understanding of the intricacies of commercial transactions and the legal frameworks that govern them, making him a trusted voice for those navigating the complexities of contract law.Susan Singleton is arguably one of the UK’s most prolific legal authors. Despite being the author of 30 books and writing regular columns in many monthly journals, her principal activity is as a solicitor with her own London firm, Singletons, which specializes in competition law, intellectual property law, IT/ecommerce, and general commercial law. Trained at Nabarro Nathanson (now CMS) Solicitors, she joined Slaughter and May’s EC/Competition Law Department on qualifying as a solicitor, moving to Bristows, where she remained until founding her own firm in 1994. Since then, she has advised over 1000 business clients. In 2015/16, she acted in the UK and CJEU challenges to new EU and UK tobacco legislation in judicial review actions. She also acted for the claimant in the first damages action for breach of the EU competition rules to come before the English courts, Arkin v Borchard and Others. Her clients range from major PLCs and institutions to small start-up businesses.She has updated LexisNexis’ Encyclopedia of Forms and Precedents for: (i) Advertising and Marketing Vol. 1, 2025, (ii) Services Vol. 12(1)(B), 2025, (iii) Information Technology Vol. 19(1), 2024, (iv) Telecommunications part of Vol. 39(1), 2024, (v) E-Commerce Vol 13(3), 2023, (vi) Confidentiality, Vol. 12(3), 2022, (vii) Data Protection and FOIA Vol. 12(2) (A and B) – narrative sections, 2020.In 2010, she acquired and now publishes long-standing subscription legal newsletters from Informa plc, of which she still publishes IT Law Today and Finance and Credit Law. This was followed three years later by more of their journals, of which she still publishes Farm Law, Pensions Today, Education Law Monitor, and Environmental Law Monthly.She is the author of 33 law books and a contributor to 49 more, and has been a frequent speaker, having given about 1700 legal courses/lectures since 1990 in 16 countries, i.e., in the UK, Austria, Belgium, Dubai, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Nigeria, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad, and Turkey, in areas such as contract law, data protection and intellectual property, competition law, and commercial law.Until 2016 she was Vice Chairman of the Competition Law Association.Was member of the Licensing Executives Society (EC/Laws Committee).Served on the Contracts Group of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS).From September 2005 – June 2010 she sat as an independent Board member on the Direct Marketing Commission.She was chairman of the Pinner Hill Residents Association for ten years until July 2017.She was married for 19 years and has five children, four of whom are solicitors. She lives in London and enjoys her children, grandchildren, singing, playing the piano, and gardening. She owned a 30-acre island in Panama for ten years – Cocos Island.