21世纪写好合同的50招-法律英语翻译Welcometothe21stCentury.WherepracticinglawrequiresustodonthegarbofcomputersandtheInternet.Andwherelitigationisascostlyasever.Lawyerbillsrunning$10,000amontharenotunusualinahotlycontestedbreachofcontractlawsuit.Witheveryword,phraseandsentencecarryingthepotentialforwinningorlosing,thestakesarehigh.Simplelogic,therefore,directsustocautiousandthoughtfuldrafting.新世纪的到来,要求我们在法律实践中应该多用电脑和互联网,不过,诉讼本钱仍然那么地高,面对日益竞争剧烈的违约诉讼,律师每月开出1万美元的账单也是常有的事。合同中的每一个字,每一个词,每一句话,都意味着潜在的输或赢,换句话说,押在这上面下的赌注也特别大,所以,在起草合同时要把握两条原那么:小心慎重和深思熟虑。Draftingcontractsisactuallyoneofthesimplepleasuresofpracticinglaw.Just3yearsagoatthisConventionIpresented50tipsforcontractwriting.Thisarticleupdatesthosetipsinthecontextofournewtoolsandabilities.Followingthesetipscouldresultinyourwritingacontractsoclearnoonewillwanttolitigateit,savingyourclientfromthetrialsandtribulationsoflitigation,trulyagoodreasontowritethecontractthatstaysoutofcourt.然而,起草合同确实又是法律实践中一件有意思的事儿。大约三年前,也是在如此一个会议上,我提出了合同起草的50招。本文在那些招数的根底上,结合一些新的工具和技能,推出了下面这个新版本,但愿它们能协助你起草无可挑剔的合同,让你的客户免受诉讼的困扰。Thesetipsapplytowritingallkindsofagreements:officeleases,realestatecontracts,salesagreements,employmentcontracts,equipmentleases,prenuptialagreements.Theyevenapplytostipulationsandsettlementsinlitigation,whereyouwantanagreementsoclearthatitavoidsfuturelitigation.Whereverclarityandsimplicityareimportant,thesetipswillguideyouthere.TheAppendixprovidesafewsleformstoillustratethesetips.这些招数适用于各种合同,比方,办公租赁合同、不动产合同、买卖合同、劳动合同、设备租赁合同、婚前协议。同样,假设你不想让你在诉讼中所起草的和解条款与协议再起争议的话,也可以参考一下这些招数。另外,通过理解这些招数,你就会明白,起草合同,明晰、简明是多么地重要。本文的附录提供了一些简单的法律文书范本-----这将有助于你理解这些招数。BeforeYouWritetheFirstWord第一部分:在动笔之前1.Askyourclienttolistthedealpoints.Thiscanbeintheformofalist,outlineornarration.Doingthiswillhelptheclientfocusonthetermsoftheagreement.1.要求你的客户列出合同买卖的要点,也可以说是合同的清单、目录或概述。这一招首先协助你的客户弄清合同的重点所在。2.Engageyourclientinwhatifscenarios.Agoodcontractwillanticipatemanypossiblefactualsituationsandexpressthepartiesunderstandingincasethosefactsarise.Talkingtoyourclientaboutthiswillgeneratemanyissuesyoumaynototherwiseconsider.2.让你的客户提供一些假设可能发生的情况。好的合同不仅可以预见到许多可能发生的情况,而且还能明晰地描绘出发生这些情况后合同双方的立场。和客户聊这些情况将有助于你觉察一些你可能没有考虑到的征询题。3.Askyourclientforasimilarcontract.Frequently,clientshavehadsimilartransactionsinthepastortheyhaveaccesstocontractsforsimilartransactions.3.恳求你的客户提供类似的合同。通常情况下,客户都保存着过去的买卖记录或者是类似合同。4.SearchyourofficecomputerortheInternetforasimilarform.Manytimesyoucanfindasimilarformonyourcomputer.Itmaybeoneyoupreparedforanotherclientoroneyounegotiatedwithanotherlawyer.Justremembertofindandreplacetheoldclientsname.Startingwithanexistingformsavestimeandavoidstheerrorsoftyping.HerearesomeWebsiteswhereyoucanfindforms:4.在办公室的电脑中或是在因特网上搜索类似...