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Negotiating the Software Contract

By Alison Meyer Vann
April 28, 2005

Attorneys live and work in a world of contracts. Usually, however, this expertise involves optimizing legal agreements for the firm's clients. But when a law firm enters into its own software contracts, it is presented with the unique opportunity to optimize a negotiation for its own benefit. Attorneys, more than most software buyers, are aware of the legal issues involved in an IT contract such as indemnity, limitation of liability, confidential information and warranties. However, there are a number of business issues for any software buyer to consider. The key is to anticipate which of these a software company might deem negotiable.

What may seem to be boilerplate in the software contract should in fact be studied for pitfalls, as well as negotiating opportunities for the law firm. Such issues, such as audit provisions, license and support fees, and restrictions on geographic use, all represent risks to be contained and positives to be maximized.

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