What Does “Represent and Warrant” Mean?
This post discusses the meaning of the phrase “represent and warrant“. This is part of Dana Shultz’s Canonical Questions on the Law® series of questions and answers about legal issues, concepts and terminology.
Distinguishing Representations from Warranties
To understand what the contractual phrase “represent and warrant” means, we need to know what representations and warranties are.
(more…)Which Protections Should be Included in Online Terms of Use?
This post is based on my response to a LawPivot question from an entrepreneur who wanted to know which protective provisions should be included in his website’s terms of use.
The provisions that bear most closely on protecting website owners include those pertaining to:
- Disclaimer of warranties made by the owner
- Limitations on the extent of the owner’s liability
- Users’ warranties, especially as concerns any information that they may post
- Users’ acceptable behavior policies, which set the stage for . . .
- The owner’s right, in its sole discretion, to terminate use privileges
- Users’ obligation to indemnify the website owner against liabilities that result from user activities
- A requirement that any lawsuit related to the website be brought at a venue that is convenient for the owner
- An arbitration provision as a way to avoid litigation (though I am not a big fan of arbitration because it can be expensive and precludes small-claims court, which can be relatively quick and inexpensive)
Foreign Suppliers Beware: Five Contract “Gotchas” when Adapting Your Agreements
A couple of months ago, I posted International Business and Agreements: Learning about Legal Culture. This is a follow-up that discusses certain common problems when foreign suppliers bring their standard-form agreements to the U.S.
Filling in Gaps
During the past several years, I have helped quite a few foreign technology suppliers adapt their standard-form agreements for use in the U.S. The agreements that they use back home (translated to English, as required) are quaint by U.S. standards. There is a lot of white space, and fonts tend to be large. Furthermore, while the agreements specify business terms in detail, they address many legal provisions in a cursory fashion or not at all. (more…)
Limiting Liability when You are the One Being Paid
From time to time, I answer questions – typically about the law or about startups – on LinkedIn. Recently I answered the following question:
What is the best way [in a contract] to limit liability when you’re the party receiving payment?
I believe the answer will be helpful to any supplier of goods or services, so I am reproducing it here in slightly edited form.
