合同起草基础1

1 ABCs of Contract Drafting 合同 劳动合同范本免费下载装修合同范本免费下载租赁合同免费下载房屋买卖合同下载劳务合同范本下载 起草基础 Based on training material provided by Committee on Business Law Education Of American Bar Association 基于美国 律师 律师简历律师简历律师简历律师简历律师简历 协会 下属商业法律教育委员会 提供的培训材料 For educational purpose only Copyright ©2010 Jian Shen 2 Two Topics 两个话题 • Elements of Contract 合同的组成元素 • Avoid Ambiguity 避免歧义 3 Elements of Contract 合同的组成元素 Credits to Professor Tina L. Stark at Emory University School of Law 4 • Statement of fact 对事实的阐述 • As of a moment in time 具有时效性 • Intended to cause reliance 意在诱发对陈述的信赖 – Justifiable reliance is required for a cause of action 诉由的成立需要合理的信赖 Representations 陈述 5 • Technical definition – A promise that a statement is true 技术层面定义：对陈述真实性的承诺 • Real world definition – A statement isn’t true + Recipient suffers damages Maker will pay damages 实际意义： 不实陈述 + 接受方损失 = 陈述方需赔偿损失 *There is no reliance component （原告无需证明其对不实陈述有依赖） Warranties 保证 6 • Honest or negligent, if material – Avoidance + Restitutionary Recovery 出于诚实的错误或一般疏忽： 取消合同 + 由不实陈述方退还所得利益 • Fraud 不实陈述构成欺诈 – Avoidance + Restitutionary Recovery – Or damages 或由不实陈述方赔偿损失： • Out-of-pocket 实际损失 • Benefit of the bargain 合同利益损失 • Punitive 惩罚性赔偿 Remedies for Misrepresentations 不实陈述的救济 7 • Purported Worth 认定价值 $2500 • Paid 实付价款 $1000 • Actual Worth 实际价值 $250 • Out-of-Pocket 实际损失： $1000 － $250 = $750 • Benefit of the Bargain 合同利益损失： $2500 － $250 = $2250 Measures of Damages for Fraudulent Misrepresentations 欺诈性不实陈述的赔偿方法 8 • Damages – Benefit of the bargain 赔偿合同利益损失 Remedies for Breaches of Warranties 违反保证的补救 9 • No Reliance component 原告无需证明其对不实陈述有依赖 • Additional cause of action 侵权法诉由外增加合同法诉由 • Benefit of the bargain damages 可以寻求赔偿合同利益损失 • No need to prove scienter 原告无需证明被告有主观过错 Why Receive Both Representations and Warranties 为何陈述之外还要保证 10 • Flat representations – Unequivocal – Without wiggle room 直白的陈述：明确但无回旋余地 • Qualified representations – Hedged 设限制的陈述：防范性、闪烁其辞 Risk Allocation in Representations 陈述的意义：风险分担 11 • A covenant is a promise to perform. It can be a promise to do something or a promise not to do something. 约定是对履行义务的承诺； 该等承诺可以指向作为或不作为。 • Remedy alternative to damages: specific performance. 违反约定的救济可以是强制执行。 Covenants 约定 12 Rights 权利 A right is the flip side of a covenant. 权利和约定是对应的。 “If Simon is obligated to give lectures to the talented Chinese young lawyers, the talented Chinese young lawyers have a right to Simon’s performance.” 13 Covenants and Rights 约定与权利 Covenants and rights in contract: 约定与权利在合同中的具体体现： “Simon shall give lectures to the talented Chinese young lawyers.” “The talented Chinese young lawyers have a right to have lectures.” 14 Conditions 条件 A condition to an obligation is a state of facts that must exist before there is an obligation to perform. 合同有时约定在义务得以履行前必须 有一定的事件发生或一定的事实存在， 条件即指该等事件的发生或该等事实 的存在。 15 Conditions in Contract 条件 “If more than 20 talented Chinese young lawyers notify Simon via email that they will attend the seminar on 25 December 2010, then Simon shall deliver a lecture on the topic of Hong Kong initial public offering for that seminar and shall host a Christmas party thereafter.” 16 Conditions and Walk-away Rights 条件 The following are conditions to the Buyer’s obligation to perform: 以下是买方履行义务条件的示例： “The Buyer must have received an opinion from the Seller’s counsel, substantially in the form of Exhibit A” “The Seller must have obtained all the consents listed in Schedule 3.14” 17 Remedies for Failure of a Condition 条件未实现的救济 • The remedy for failure of a condition to occur is the conditioned performance is not due. 条件未实现的后果是相关义务人不必 履行基于该条件的约定义务。 • Be careful that courts are prone to interpret “must” to mean “shall.” 注意：法院倾向于将条件解释为约定。 18 Discretionary Authority 裁量权 Discretionary authority works in one of two ways: – Gives its holder a choice. – Gives its holder permission to act (often when it has been previously denied). 裁量权的作用为下列两者之一： – 给予裁量权拥有者以选择权 – 允许裁量权拥有者进行某一行为 （通常该行为此前不被许可） 19 Discretionary Authority 裁量权 “The talented Chinese young lawyers may request Simon to give a lecture on legal practice or to deliver a speech on career development.” “Simon shall not delegate his obligation of giving lectures, except he may delegate such obligation to Kelvin, provided that Kelvin must have committed to give a lecture on private equity investments.” 20 Conditions to Discretionary Authority 裁量权的条件 A condition to discretionary authority is a state of facts that must exist before a party may exercise discretionary authority. 裁量权的条件指一方行使该等权力前 必须发生的事件或存在的事实。 “If Simon delivers a subpar lecture at the seminar, the attendees may require Simon to sing in public or dance in public.” 21 Declarations 声明 A statement of fact as to which both parties agree, but with respect to which neither party has a remedy. – All definitions – Statements of policy (e.g. some boilerplate provisions) 声明指对双方均认同的事实的阐述， 但任何一方均无法基于声明寻求救济。 – 所有的定义词语 – 政策阐述（如某些标准格式条款） 22 Declarations (cont’d) 声明 • Some have legal effect on their own. 有些声明本身即具有法律意义。 “If Simon delegates his obligation of giving lectures, such delegation is void.” • Others need to be kicked into action (e.g. definitions). 另一些则需由其他合同语言赋予法律意义。 “‘Once’ means 100 times. Simon shall give lectures Once per week.” 23 Contract Elements Summary 合同元素 总结 初级经济法重点总结下载党员个人总结TXt高中句型全总结.doc高中句型全总结.doc理论力学知识点总结pdf • Representations and warranties 陈述与保证 • Covenants and rights 约定与权利 • Discretionary Authority 裁量权 • Conditions 条件 – Condition to an obligation – Condition to discretionary authority • Declarations 声明 24 Avoid Ambiguity 避免歧义 Credits to Professor Scott J. Burnham at University of Montana School of Law 25 Ambiguity vs. Vagueness 区分歧义与笼统 • Ambiguity means there are at least two possible meanings, incompatible to each other. 歧义指至少有两个互不相容的意思。 • Vagueness covers a range of possibilities. 笼统指包含一系列的可能。 – Prompt, reasonable, good faith, etc. – May want to be intentionally vague. 26 How to Recognize Ambiguity 如何识别歧义文字 • Read critically – talk back to your draft. 批判性阅读：与自己起草的文本“辩论”。 • Have another set of eyes look at it. 请朋友或同事校读自己起草的文本。 27 The Golden Rule of Drafting 合同起草的黄金法则 Never change your language unless you wish to change your meaning, and always change your language if you wish to change your meaning. 除非意在改变 表 关于同志近三年现实表现材料材料类招标技术评分表图表与交易pdf视力表打印pdf用图表说话 pdf 达的意思， 绝不改变所用的文字； 如果需要改变表达的意思， 务必改变所用的文字。 28 The Golden Rule of Drafting (cont’d) 合同起草的黄金法则 • Use “find” to search for subsequent uses. 用“查找”功能搜寻文本中其他 使用该等文字的地方。 • Use the same language each time or create a defined term. 每次使用相同文字或采用定义词语。 29 Defined Terms 定义词语 • Defined terms are a good way to avoid ambiguity, but do your defined terms work? 使用定义词语是避免歧义的有效方法。 • Use “find and replace” and insert the definition each time the defined term is used to make sure it works. 用“替换”功能在每个使用定义词语 的地方代入定义内容进行验证。 30 Defined Terms (cont’d) 定义词语 • “‘Once’ means, regarding any reference of Simon’s obligation of giving lectures, 100 times. If Simon rides taxi more than once per day in any week, Simon shall give lectures Once per week.” • Rewrite the definition or the defined term when used inappropriately. 必要时修改定义词语或定义内容。 31 And and Or “和”与“或” • “The feedback must comment on clarity and depth or informativeness of lectures delivered by Simon.” • Identify each “and” and each “or.” • Ask whether it can be interpreted in more than one way. • Rewrite for clarity or tabulate. 首先找出每个“和”与“或”，如有 可能造成歧义，重新表述或采用列表。 32 Two Classes or Two Characteristics of One Class “和”的麻烦 “No person shall make telephone calls that are threatening and obscene.” – “No person shall make telephone calls that are both threatening and obscene.” – “No person shall make telephone calls that are threatening, and no person shall make telephone calls that are obscene.” – “No person shall make telephone calls that are either threatening or obscene, or both.” 33 Two Classes or Two Characteristics of One Class (cont’d) “和”的麻烦 • Ask whether the “and” is joining what could be two sentences, or is connecting two parts of a sentence. 推敲“和”联接的是一句话的两部分， 还是各自可以独立成句的文字。 • Rewrite for clarity or tabulate. 必要时重新表述或采用列表。 34 Modifiers 修饰语 “Employee shall be paid severance benefits on termination of her employment by the Company.” The presumption is that a modifier modifies the thing immediately preceding. 一般认为修饰语应紧跟被其修饰的事物。 35 Modifiers (cont’d) 修饰语 “Debtor grants creditor a security interest in all inventory, including but not limited to agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, and fertilizer materials sold to Debtor by X Co. whether now owned or hereafter acquired.” If a modifier does not modify the thing immediately preceding, then move it. 删除没有紧跟被修饰事物的修饰语。 36 Punctuation 标点 “Simon shall give lectures for a period of five years from the date Simon first gives a lecture to the talent Chinese young lawyers, and thereafter for successive five year terms, unless and until Simon opens his own law firm.” 37 Punctuation (cont’d) 标点 View the pair of commas introducing a parenthesis as parenthetical, and recognize that the modifier following the second comma modifies what precedes the first comma. 把标示插入语的一对逗号看做括弧； 认识到紧跟第二个逗号的修饰语用于 修饰第一个逗号前的事物。 38 Tabulation 列表 “No person shall be eligible to serve on the Supreme Court unless the person is licensed to practice law in this state and is, at the time of election, a citizen of the United States and of this state, and has attained the age of 35 years, and has been a practicing lawyer for at least 10 years.” 39 Tabulation (cont’d) 列表 “No person shall be eligible to serve on the Supreme Court unless the person: – is licensed to practice law in this state; – is, at the time of election, a citizen of the United States and of this state; – has attained the age of 35 years; and – has been a practicing lawyer for at least 10 years.” 40 Thanks for coming! 感谢捧场 ABCs of Contract Drafting�合同起草基础 Two Topics�两个话题 Elements of Contract �合同的组成元素��Credits to Professor Tina L. Stark at Emory University School of Law Representations �陈述 Warranties �保证 Remedies for Misrepresentations �不实陈述的救济 Measures of Damages for �Fraudulent Misrepresentations �欺诈性不实陈述的赔偿方法 Remedies for �Breaches of Warranties�违反保证的补救 Why Receive Both �Representations and Warranties�为何陈述之外还要保证 Risk Allocation in Representations�陈述的意义：风险分担 Covenants �约定 Rights �权利 Covenants and Rights�约定与权利 Conditions�条件 Conditions in Contract�条件 Conditions and Walk-away Rights�条件 Remedies for Failure of a Condition�条件未实现的救济 Discretionary Authority�裁量权 Discretionary Authority�裁量权 Conditions to �Discretionary Authority�裁量权的条件 Declarations�声明 Declarations (cont’d)�声明 Contract Elements Summary�合同元素总结 幻灯片编号 24 Ambiguity vs. Vagueness�区分歧义与笼统 How to Recognize Ambiguity�如何识别歧义文字 The Golden Rule of Drafting�合同起草的黄金法则 The Golden Rule of Drafting (cont’d)�合同起草的黄金法则 Defined Terms�定义词语 Defined Terms (cont’d)�定义词语 And and Or�“和”与“或” Two Classes or Two Characteristics of One Class�“和”的麻烦 Two Classes or Two Characteristics of One Class (cont’d)�“和”的麻烦 Modifiers�修饰语 Modifiers (cont’d)�修饰语 Punctuation�标点 Punctuation (cont’d)�标点 Tabulation�列表 Tabulation (cont’d)�列表 幻灯片编号 40