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美國資深律師經(jīng)驗：二十一世紀(jì)寫好合同的五十招（英漢對照）
請注意：本文僅供非商業(yè)用途的學(xué)習(xí)參考之用，請勿轉(zhuǎn)載，使用請尊重作者和譯
者的著作權(quán)。
FIFTY TIPS FOR WRITING THE 21ST CENTURY CONTRACT THAT STAYS
OUT OF COURT
二十一世紀(jì)寫好合同的五十招
作者：James.Martin
譯者：胡清平
Published in The Florida Bar Journal, Nov. 2000
（本文于2000 年11 月發(fā)表于美國佛羅里達(dá)州的律師雜志上）
Note: This article is for background purposes only and is not intended as legal
advice.
作者注：本文僅供參考，并不旨在提供法律意見
譯者注：翻譯本文并未得到原作者同意，故譯文僅供學(xué)習(xí)和研究使用，未經(jīng)允許，
不得轉(zhuǎn)載
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the 21st Century. Where practicing law requires us to don the
garb of computers and the Internet. And where litigation is as costly as ever.
Lawyer bills running $10,000 a month are not unusual in a hotly contested
breach of contract lawsuit. With every word, phrase and sentence carrying the
potential for winning or losing, the stakes are high. Simple logic, therefore,
directs us to cautious and thoughtful drafting.
新世紀(jì)的到來，要求我們在法律實踐中應(yīng)該多用電腦和互聯(lián)網(wǎng)，不過，訴訟成本
還是那么地高，面對日益競爭激烈的違約訴訟，律師每月開出1 萬美元的賬單也
是常有的事。合同中的每一個字，每一個詞，每一句話，都意味著潛在的輸或贏，
換句話說，押在這上面下的賭注也很大，所以，在起草合同時要把握兩條原則：
小心謹(jǐn)慎和深思熟慮。
Drafting contracts is actually one of the simple pleasures of practicing law.
Just 3 years ago at this Convention I presented 50 tips for contract writing.
This article updates those tips in the context of our new tools and abilities.
Following these tips could result in your writing a contract so clear no one will
want to litigate it, saving your client from the trials and tribulations of litigation,
truly a good reason to write the contract that stays out of court.

然而，起草合同的確又是法律實踐中一件有意思的事兒。大約三年前，也是在這
樣一個會議上，我提出了合同起草的50 招。本文在那些招數(shù)的基礎(chǔ)上，結(jié)合一
些新的工具和技能，推出了下面這個新版本,但愿它們能幫助你起草無可挑剔的
合同，讓你的客戶免受訴訟的困擾。
These tips apply to writing all kinds of agreements: office leases, real estate
contracts, sales agreements, employment contracts, equipment leases
prenuptial agreements. They even apply to stipulations and settlements in
litigation, where you want an agreement so clear that it avoids future litigation.
Wherever clarity and simplicity are important, these tips will guide you there.
The Appendix provides a few sample forms to illustrate these tips.
這些招數(shù)適用于各種合同，比如，辦公租賃合同、不動產(chǎn)合同、買賣合同、勞動
合同、設(shè)備租賃合同、婚前協(xié)議。同樣，如果你不想讓你在訴訟中所起草的和解
條款與協(xié)議再起爭議的話，也可以參考一下這些招數(shù)。另外，通過了解這些招數(shù)，
你就會明白，起草合同，清晰、簡明是多么地重要。本文的附錄提供了一些簡單
的法律文書范本-----這將有助于你理解這些招數(shù)。
Before You Write the First Word
第一部分：在動筆之前
1. Ask your client to list the deal points. This can be in the form of a list, outline
or narration. Doing this will help the client focus on the terms of the
agreement.
1.要求你的客戶列出合同交易的要點，也可以說是合同的清單、目錄或概述。這
一招首先幫助你的客戶弄清合同的重點所在。
2. Engage your client in "what if" scenarios. A good contract will anticipate
many possible factual situations and express the parties' understanding in
case those facts arise. Talking to your client about this will generate many
issues you may not otherwise consider.
2.讓你的客戶提供一些假設(shè)可能發(fā)生的情況。好的合同不僅能夠預(yù)見到許多可能
發(fā)生的情況，而且還能清楚地描述出發(fā)生這些情況后合同雙方的立場。和客戶聊
這些情況將有助于你發(fā)現(xiàn)一些你可能沒有考慮到的問題。
3. Ask your client for a similar contract. Frequently, clients have had similar
transactions in the past or they have access to contracts for similar
transactions.
3.請求你的客戶提供類似的合同。通常情況下，客戶都保留著過去的交易記錄或
者是類似合同。

office computer or the Internet for a similar form. Many times
you can find a similar form on your computer. It may be one you prepared for
another client or one you negotiated with another lawyer. Just remember to
find and replace the old client's name. Starting with an existing form saves
time and avoids the errors of typing. Here are some Web sites where you can
find forms:
http://www.flcourts.org/
http://www.flabarrpptl.org/library.html
http://www.gate.net/~wyman/flo.html
http://www.westgroup.com
http://www.lexis.com/
4.在辦公室的電腦中或是在因特網(wǎng)上搜索類似的合同范本。通常你會在你的電腦
上找到你想要的東西，這些類似的合同范本要么是你給其他客戶準(zhǔn)備的，要么是
你和其他的律師共同協(xié)商起草的。使用這些舊合同可以為你節(jié)省時間和避免打印
錯誤，不過，用這些合同范本時別忘了替換掉老客戶的名字。下面是些有關(guān)合同
范本的網(wǎng)址，供參考：
http://www.flcourts.org/
http://www.flabarrpptl.org/library.html
http://www.gate.net/~wyman/flo.html
http://www.westgroup.com
5. Obtain forms in books or CD-ROM. Typical forms of contracts can be found
in form books, such as West's Legal Forms (a nationwide set) and Florida Jur
Forms, as well as in treatises and Florida Bar CLE publications. These can be
used as the starting point for drafting the contract or as checklists of typical
provisions and wording to include in the contract. Many treatises and form
books now come with forms on disk or CD-ROM.
5.從書中或者是光盤上獲取合同范本。典型的合同范本在一些范例書中都可能找
到：比如,西方法律文書（全國版）佛羅里達(dá)州文書期刊，另外，在有些論文和
佛羅里達(dá)州律師協(xié)會的法律繼續(xù)教育出版物中也可以找到一些。起草合同時，你
可以把這些范本當(dāng)做原始資料，利用其中某些典型的條款和措詞。更為方便的是，
許多論文和書中的合同范本都有電子文本儲存在磁盤或光盤中。
6. Don't let your client sign a letter of intent without this wording. Sometimes
clients are anxious to sign something to show good faith before the contract is
prepared. A properly worded letter of intent is useful at such times. Just be
sure that the letter of intent clearly states that it is not a contract, but that it is
merely an outline of possible terms for discussion purposes. See Appendix C.
6.如果沒有特別申明，不要讓你的客戶在意向書上簽字。有時候，在合同未準(zhǔn)備
好之前，客戶為了表示誠意，往往急于簽署某些東西，當(dāng)然，在這種情況下，如果客戶急于簽署的是有特別申明的意向書，這也是可以的，但一定要注明：本意
向書并非合同，只是雙方為了更好地溝通協(xié)商，而擬定的對未來條款的概述。類
似意向書的范例見附錄C。
Writing that First Word
第二部分：開始起草合同
7. Start with a simple, generic contract form. The form in Appendix A is such a
form. It provides a solid starting point for the structure of the contract. Like a
house, a contract must have a good, solid foundation.
7.從簡單、典型的合同入手。附錄A 就是一個簡單、典型的合同，它提供了一個
合同的基本支架。像房子一樣，一個合同必須有一個牢固的根基。
8. State the correct legal names of the parties in the first paragraph. As
obvious as this is, it is one of the most common problems in contracts. For
individuals, include full first and last name, and middle initials if available, and
other identifying information, if appropriate, such as Jr., M.D., etc. For
corporations, check with the Secretary of State where incorporated.
8.在合同的第一段要寫清楚雙方的名稱。，這是個簡單而又不得不引起重視的問
題。如果是個人，要寫清姓和名,中間有大寫字母和其他身份信息的，也要注明，
例如：jr.,M.D,等等；如果是公司，為避免弄錯，寫名稱時可以到公司注冊地的
相應(yīng)機(jī)構(gòu)去核對一下。
9. Identify the parties by nicknames. Giving each party a nickname in the first
paragraph will make the contract easier to read. For example, James W.
Martin would be nicknamed "Martin."
9.確定合同雙方的別稱（簡稱）。為便于閱讀，一般要在合同的第一段為雙方弄
一個別稱，如：將詹姆士.馬丁簡寫為"馬丁"。
10. Be careful when using legal terms for nicknames. Do not use "Contractor"
as a nickname unless that party is legally a contractor. Do not use "Agent"
unless you intend for that party to be an agent, and if you do, then you better
specify the scope of authority and other agency issues to avoid future
disagreements.
10.使用法定術(shù)語作為雙方當(dāng)事人的別稱時，要小心。除非一方當(dāng)事人在法定上
就是承包人，否則不要將"承包人"作為其別稱。同樣，除非你想讓一方當(dāng)事人成
為法定上的代理人，否則不要稱其為"代理人"，如果堅持要用，最好明確一下代
理范圍并找到其他可以避免將來爭執(zhí)的方案。
11. Include a blank for the date in the first paragraph. Putting the date in themakes it easy to find after the contract is signed. It also makes
it easy to describe the contract in other documents in a precise way, such as
the "December 20, 2000, Contract for Sale of Real Estate."
11.在合同的第一段要為書寫簽約時間留下空格。把簽約時間放在第一段，當(dāng)合
同簽署后，你就能夠很容易地找到它，而且，這樣做還可以給你在其他相關(guān)文件
中準(zhǔn)確地描述這個合同提供幫助，范例如：不動產(chǎn)買賣合同，訂立于2000 年12
月20 日
12. Include to provide background. Recitals are the "whereas" clauses that
precede the body of a contract. They provide a simple way to bring the
contract's reader (party, judge or jury) up to speed on what the contract is
about, who the parties are, why they are signing a contract, etc. The first
paragraph in the body of the contract can incorporate the recitals by reference
and state that they are true and correct. This will avoid a later argument as to
whether or not the recitals are a legally binding part of the contract.
12.書寫引述語。引述語是指那些放在合同主體前面的"鑒于"條款。書寫此類條款
的目的是為了讓讀者（通常指合同雙方，法官，陪審團(tuán)）很快地了解到合同的主
要內(nèi)容是什么，合同雙方是誰，以及他們?yōu)槭裁春炗喓贤�，等等。�?dāng)然，合同主
體的第一段也可以加上引述語并陳述其是真實準(zhǔn)確的，如果這樣做了，合同雙方
將來就不會爭執(zhí)：引述語作為合同的一部分是否具有法律效力？
13. Outline the contract by writing out and underlining paragraph headings in
their logical order. The paragraphs should flow in logical, organized fashion. It
is not necessary to write them all at once; you can write them as you think of
them. Try to group related concepts in the same paragraphs or in adjacent
paragraphs. For example, write an employment contract's initial paragraph
headings like this:
Recitals.
Employment.
Duties.
Term.
Compensation.
13.按邏輯順序列出合同段落的標(biāo)題詞.合同的段落是按一定的邏輯順序組織起
來的，當(dāng)然，你并不需要一下子列出所有段落的標(biāo)題詞，想到多少就寫多少，不
過，這些標(biāo)題詞要力求總結(jié)出每個段落或相關(guān)段落的內(nèi)容。比如：撰寫勞動合同
時列出的標(biāo)題詞就像下面這些：
引述語
聘用
職責(zé)
期限
賠償

14. Complete each paragraph by writing the contract terms that apply to that
paragraph. This is simple. You learned this in elementary school. Just explain
in words what the parties agree to do or not do paragraph by paragraph.
14.在撰寫每一段時要注意內(nèi)容集中，不要東拉西扯，是的，這很簡單，你可能
上小學(xué)時就學(xué)過，但我還是要提醒你，要集中火力，一段一段地分別說明合同雙
方同意做什么，不同意做什么。
15. Keep a pad at hand to remember clauses to add. It is normal to think of
additional clauses, wording and issues while writing a contract. Jot these
down on a pad as you write; they are easily forgotten. Also keep your client's
outline and other forms in front of you as you write, and check off items as you
write them.
15.放一個便箋簿在手邊，以便記下需要添加的條款。在書寫合同的同時，你可
能隨時會想到一些需要添加條款、措詞和問題，要盡快記在便箋簿上，因為他們
太容易忘了。另外，你最好將客戶列出的要點和一些類似的合同范本也放在眼前，
以便在書寫過程中隨時查對。
16. Repeat yourself only when repetition is necessary to improve clarity.
Ambiguity is created by saying the same thing more than once; it is almost
impossible to say it twice without creating ambiguity. Only if the concept is a
difficult one should you write it in more than one way. In addition, if you use an
example to clarify a difficult concept or formula, be sure that all possible
meanings are considered and that the example is accurate and consistent
with the concept as worded.
16.除非是為了更清晰地說明問題，否則不要在合同中重復(fù)陳述某個內(nèi)容。將一
個事實來回地說很容易讓人模棱兩可。如果你將一個概念重復(fù)地解釋，那理解起
來就更有困難。另外，如果你想通過一個例子來闡明一個難以理解的概念或規(guī)則
時，一定要考慮到其所有的含義、這個例子的準(zhǔn)確性以及它和概念的相符性。
What to Watch Out for When Writing
第三部分：撰寫時的注意事項
17. Title it "Contract." Do not leave this one to chance. If your client wants a
contract, call it a contract. A judge now sitting on the federal bench once ruled
that a document entitled "Proposal" was not a contract even though signed by
both parties. The lesson learned is, "Say what you mean." If you intend the
document to be a legally binding contract, use the word "Contract" in the title.
17.標(biāo)題上注明"合同"兩字。不要為碰運氣而忽略這個。如果你的客戶需要合同，就要注明是合同。一個仍在聯(lián)邦法院里任職的法官就曾經(jīng)裁定：有雙方簽字，但
標(biāo)有"建議書"的文件并非合同。這給我們的教訓(xùn)就是，你怎么想，就應(yīng)該怎么說。
如果你想讓你的文件成為具有法律效力的合同，就要在標(biāo)題中注明"合同"字樣。
18. Write in short sentences. Short sentences are easier to understand than
long ones.
18.寫短句子，因為短句子比長句子讓人更容易理解。
19. Write in active tense, rather than passive. Active tense sentences are
shorter and use words more efficiently, and their meaning is more apparent.
Example of active: "Sellers shall sell the Property to Buyer." Example of
passive: "The Property shall be sold to Buyer by Seller."
19.用主動語態(tài)而不用被動語態(tài)。相對而言，主動語態(tài)的句子更簡短，措詞更精
練，表達(dá)更明白。還是讓我們來來看一個例子吧，主動語態(tài)的句子：賣方將把此
物賣給買方;被動語態(tài)的句子：此物將被賣方賣給買方。
20. Don't use the word "biweekly." It has two meanings: twice a week and
every other week. The same applies to "bimonthly." Instead, write "every other
week" or "twice a week."
20.不要用“雙周”之類的詞，因為這有可能產(chǎn)生歧義----是兩周還是每隔一周？
類似的詞還有"雙月",所以最好這樣寫:"兩周"或"每隔一周"。
21. Don't say things like "active termites and organisms". Avoid ambiguity by
writing either "active termites and active organisms" or "organisms and active
termites." When adding a modifier like "active" before a compound of nouns
like "termites and organisms", be sure to clarify whether you intend the
modifier to apply to both nouns or just the first one. If you intend it to apply to
both, use parallel construction and write the modifier in front of each noun. If
you intend it to apply to just one noun, place that one noun at the end of the
list and the modifier directly in front of it.
21.不要說"活動著的白蟻和有機(jī)體"之類的話，為了避免模棱兩可，最好這樣寫：
“活動著的白蟻和活動著的有機(jī)體”或是“白蟻和活動著的有機(jī)體”。當(dāng)一組名
詞（如"白蟻和有機(jī)體"）前有一個修飾語（如"活動著的"）時，你一定要弄清楚
這個修飾語是修飾兩個名詞還是僅僅修飾第一個名詞。如果是修飾兩個詞，可以
用排比的手法分別在這兩個詞之前加上修飾語，如果你只想修飾一個名詞，那么
你就應(yīng)該把這個詞放在這組詞的最后，然后在它的前面加上修飾語。
22. Don't say "Lessor" and "Lessee." These are bad nicknames for a lease
because they are easily reversed or mistyped. Use "Landlord" and "Tenant"
instead. The same applies to lienor and lienee, mortgagor and mortgagee,grantor and grantee, licensor and licensee, party A and party B. This is where
you can use your creativity to come up with a different nickname for a party,
as long as you use it consistently throughout the contract.
22.不要說“出租人”和“承租人”。這對一個租賃合同來說是些不好的別稱，因
為他們?nèi)菀妆活嵉够蛘叱霈F(xiàn)打印錯誤。可以用“房東”和“房客”來代替他們。
同樣，在合同中也不要說留置權(quán)人和留置人，抵押權(quán)人和抵押人，保證人和被保
證人，許可人和被許可人，當(dāng)事人A 和當(dāng)事人B......到底怎么說，這就要看你駕
馭語言的能力了，不過，要把握的一條原則，即在整個合同中，對合同一方只能
用一個別稱。
23. Watch out when using "herein." Does "wherever used herein" mean
anywhere in the contract or anywhere in the paragraph? Clarify this ambiguity
if it matters.
23.使用術(shù)語“本文（herein，也可譯為”“在這里”）時要當(dāng)心。為了避免含糊
不清，使用“本文”時最好特別申明一下“本文”是指整個合同，還是指其所在
的某一段落。
24. Write numbers as both words and numerals: ten (10). This will reduce the
chance for errors.
24.寫數(shù)目時要文字和阿拉伯?dāng)?shù)字并用，如：拾（10）。這將減少一些不經(jīng)意的錯
誤。
25. When you write "including" consider adding "but not limited to." Unless
you intend the list to be all-inclusive, you had better clarify your intent that it is
merely an example.
25.如果你想用"包括"這個詞，就要考慮在其后加上"但不限于....."的分句。除非
你能夠列出所有被包括的項，否則最好用"但不限于...."的分句，來說明你只是想
舉個例子。
26. Don't rely on the rules of grammar. The rules of grammar that you learned
in school are not universal. The judge or jury interpreting the meaning of your
contract may have learned different rules. Write the contract so that no matter
what rules they learned, the contract is clear and unambiguous. Follow this
test for clear writing: Remove all periods and commas, then read it. Choosing
the right words and placing them in the right place makes the writing clear
without punctuation.
26.不要依賴于語法規(guī)則。那些你在學(xué)校里得到的語法規(guī)則并不是放之四海而皆
準(zhǔn)的東西，因為有權(quán)力來解釋此合同的法官或陪審團(tuán)成員學(xué)的語法規(guī)則可能和你
學(xué)的不一樣，但不管學(xué)的是什么規(guī)則，撰寫合同都要遵循一個基本原則：簡潔、明確。檢測你寫的東西是否達(dá)到這個要求有個好辦法，那就是去掉所有的句號和
逗號，然后去讀它。在沒有標(biāo)點符號的情況下，選擇正確的詞語放在正確的位置
上，這將使你寫出來的東西更簡明，更流暢。
27. Don't be creative with words. Contract writing is not creative writing and is
not meant to provoke reflective thoughts or controversies about nuances of
meaning. Contract writing is clear, direct and precise. Therefore, use common
words and common meanings. Write for the common man and the common
woman.
27.不要創(chuàng)造詞語。合同文書不是創(chuàng)造性的作品，也就不能因為意思的細(xì)微差別
而引起思考或爭論。合同文書應(yīng)該是清晰、直接而準(zhǔn)確的。因此，要使用普通的
詞語,表達(dá)普通的意思，為普通人撰寫合同。
28. Be consistent in using words. If you refer to the subject matter of a sales
contract as "goods" use that term throughout the contract; do not alternately
call them "goods" and "items." Maintaining consistency is more important than
avoiding repetition. Don't worry about putting the reader to sleep; worry about
the opposing lawyer a year from now hunting for ambiguities to get your
contract into court.
28.用詞一致。在一份銷售合同中，如果你想用“貨物”來指整個合同的標(biāo)的物，
就不要時而稱它們?yōu)椤柏浳铩保瑫r而又改稱它們?yōu)椤爱a(chǎn)品”。保持用詞一致性比避
免重復(fù)更加重要。不要擔(dān)心這會讓讀者打瞌睡；你應(yīng)該提防的是對方律師會因為
含糊不清的合同而將你告上法庭。
29. Be consistent in grammar and punctuation. The rules of grammar and
punctuation you learned may differ from others, but you had better be
consistent in your use of them. Be aware of such things as where you put
ending quote marks, whether you place commas after years and states, and
similar variations in style.
29.在文法和標(biāo)點符號上保持一致。你可能學(xué)過許多不同類的文法和標(biāo)點符號規(guī)
則，但在使用它們時最好保持一致。要特別注意句末的引號、時間和地點之后的
逗號以及文風(fēng)的相似性。
30. Consider including choice of law, venue selection, and attorneys fee
clauses. If your contract gets litigated, you might as well give your client some
"ammunition" for the fight. Examples of these clauses appear in Appendices A
and C.
30.可以在合同中加入準(zhǔn)據(jù)法、審判地、律師費等條款。有了這些條款，一旦合
同引起訴訟，你就已經(jīng)為了你的客戶打這場訴訟戰(zhàn)準(zhǔn)備了一些“彈藥”。類似的
條款見附錄A 和B。Jury
第四部分：要為法官和陪審團(tuán)考慮
31. Assume the reader is a knowledgeable layman. If your writing is so clear
that a layman could understand it, then it is less likely it will end up in court.
31.要假設(shè)合同的讀者是一個受過教育的外行,如果你書寫的合同簡明得連一個
外行都能理解，那么即使到了法庭上,,你也不用害怕。
32. Define a word by capitalizing it and putting it in quotes. Capitalizing a word
indicates that you intend it to have a special meaning. The following are two
sample clauses for defining terms:
Wherever used in this contract, the word "Goods" shall mean the goods that
Buyer has agreed to purchase from Seller under this contract.Buyer hereby
agrees to purchase from Seller ten (10) frying pans, hereinafter called the
"Goods."
32.強(qiáng)調(diào)一個合同術(shù)語可以這樣做：加上雙引號并將其開頭的字母大寫。將一個
詞語的開頭字母大寫表明你想讓它有一個特別的意思。下面有兩個定義術(shù)語的例
子：
一.本合同中使用的“貨物”("Goods")是指買方已經(jīng)同意向賣方購買的貨物;
二.本合同中買方同意向賣方購買的拾（10）只平底鍋，即下文中的“貨物”
("Goods")。
33. Define words when first used. Instead of writing a section of definitions at
the beginning or end of a contract, consider defining terms and concepts as
they first appear in the contract. This will make it easier for the reader to
follow.
33.第一次使用某個術(shù)語時就要下定義。定義合同術(shù)語不是在合同的開頭，也不
是在合同的結(jié)尾，而是在這個術(shù)語第一次出現(xiàn)的時候，這樣做，有利于讀者更好
地理解合同。
34. Explain technical terms and concepts. Remember that the parties might
understand technical jargon, but the judge and jury who interpret and apply
the contract do not. Therefore, explain the contract's terms and concepts
within the contract itself. Let the contract speak for itself from within its four
corners.
34.勤于解釋合同中的術(shù)語和概念。要記住合同雙方的當(dāng)事人可能會理解合同中
某些專用術(shù)語，但法官和陪審團(tuán)卻可能一無所知。所以撰寫合同時要讓合同自己
為自己釋義。Keep Your Client Informed While You Write
第五部分：書寫時要常和你的客戶溝通
35. All contracts should come with a cover letter. This gives you a place to
instruct your client on how to use and sign the contract.
35.所有的合同都應(yīng)該有一封說明書---用來告訴你的客戶如何使用和簽署合同。
36. Tell your client the ideas that come as you write. Many ideas will occur to
you as you write: things that could go wrong with the deal, things that might
happen in the future, things that happened in the past, ways to structure
things better. Write these in your letter to the client.
36.告訴客戶你在撰寫過程中的一些想法。比如：哪些事情可能會隨著交易變得
很遭，哪些事可能會在將來發(fā)生，哪些事情已經(jīng)發(fā)生了，哪些可以讓事情朝好的
方向發(fā)展的方法.....你最好在給客戶的說明書中都將這些都寫上。
。
37. Inform your client of the risks. Writing a letter to the client as you write the
contract is the perfect way to inform the client of the risks and rewards of
entering into the contract. Frequently, problems do not become apparent until
time is spent trying to word a contract.
37.告訴客戶合同的風(fēng)險所在。在撰寫合同時，你最好向客戶說訂立合同需要承
擔(dān)的風(fēng)險和能夠得到的利益。通常情況下，只要你花時間來起草合同，你就會發(fā)
現(xiàn)真正的風(fēng)險在哪里。
What to Do After the First Draft Is Written
第六部分：完成初稿后做什么
38. Check spelling, paragraph numbering, and cross references both
manually and with your word processor's spelling and grammar checker. This
almost goes without saying today, especially since Microsoft Word now
checks your spelling and grammar as you type. (Unfortunately it also changes
"per stirpes" to "per stupid" if you fail to watch it closely.) And now there are
even computer programs that check contract documents for undefined terms.
DealProof is packaged with Corel WordPerfect for law offices, and
DocProofReader is available for download for MS Word 97 and 2000.
38.核實合同的拼寫情況、段落序號以及上下文的注解，你可以自己手動來做，
也可以用文字編輯軟件中的拼寫和語法檢查功能來完成，特別是自從有了微軟的
word 軟件后，做這樣的工作你似乎不要費多少精力（但機(jī)器有時也不可靠，如
果你不看仔細(xì)，它就會把"per stirpes"改變?yōu)?"per stupid"）。現(xiàn)在，這類專業(yè)的
軟件甚至可以幫你檢測到合同中沒有釋義的術(shù)語，如：Corel 公司專門為法律辦公開發(fā)的文字處理軟件包中的DealProof 軟件，還有可供word97 和word2000
下載安裝的DocProofReader 軟件。
39. Let your secretary or paralegal read it. Not only will your staff frequently
find spelling and grammar errors missed by your word processor's spell
checker, but they will find inconsistencies and confusing areas that you
missed when drafting.
39.讓你的秘書或者助手閱讀你草擬的合同。你的同事不僅能通過文字處理軟件
來幫你檢查到你沒有查到的拼寫和語法錯誤，而且他們還能發(fā)現(xiàn)你起草時沒有察
覺到的矛盾和混淆之處。
40. Stamp "Draft #1 6/22/2000" on it. This may be the first of many drafts, so
avoid confusion early by numbering and dating all drafts at the top of the first
page. It is also a good idea to write "DRAFT" across the face of each page to
preclude the possibility of an impatient client signing a draft rather than waiting
for the final version.
40.在合同上注明“第一稿于200 年6 月22 日”,第一稿完成后，可能還要草擬
幾個版本，為了避免他們之間相互混淆，最好在每份草稿首頁的頂部注上序號和
起草時間。另外，在每一個版本的封面上注明“草稿”字樣，也能夠避免你那急
躁的客戶不等到最后的定稿文本就急于簽字。
41. Let your client read it. Letting the client in on reading the first draft assures
that your drafting will stay in tune with the client's wishes.
41 讓你的客戶讀你草擬的合同。你的客戶讀第一稿，可以確保你的起草的東西
和客戶的愿望相符。
42. Save the drafts as multiple files on your computer. If you save the first
draft on your computer as two files, you will have one file identified as the first
draft and the other identified as the current version. This can be done by
naming the current version "contract" and the first draft as "contract.d1." Then,
subsequent versions can be named "contract.d2", "contract.d3," etc., where
the "d" in the extension indicates draft. (Of course, if you're not using
WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS, as I do, you can use long file names to show the
contract name, draft number and draft date, such as "Contract Smith Jones
draft 2 datd 6 22 2000.")
42.在電腦中將草擬的合同多保存幾個復(fù)件。如果你將第一稿合同存了兩份在電
腦中，那么其中的一份可以用來存檔，另一份則可以用來繼續(xù)修改。用來存檔的
文件可以命名為"合同.草1"。用來修改的文件可以命名為"合同"。以此類推，以
后修改的版本就命名為"合同.草2"，"合同.草3"，等等。帶"草"字的擴(kuò)展名表示
此合同是草擬版本。（當(dāng)然，你可能不經(jīng)常用DOS 下的WordPerfect 5.1 軟件，
我是經(jīng)常用的，你也可以用一個較長的文件名來清楚地表達(dá)出草擬合同的名稱、及起草時間，范例如："史密斯.瓊斯于2000 年6 月22 日草擬的第二版合同
"。）
43. Compare the current version to prior versions. If you save draft versions, it
is very easy to compare one version to another using the word processor's
compare feature or using the CompareRite computer program. When you
compare "contract.d1" to "contract.d2", save the comparison as "contract.c21"
and print it to show the client what changes were made.
43.將當(dāng)前的草擬版本和以前的版本進(jìn)行比較。如果你存了很多合同的草擬版本，
那么你就可以很容易地用文字處理軟件或者是CompareRite 軟件來比較分析兩
個合同版本。當(dāng)你用軟件比較"合同.草1"和"合同.草2"兩個版本時，最好將軟件
的分析結(jié)果打印出來送給客戶看，讓他知道變化在哪里。
How to Print and Sign the Final Draft
第七部分：怎樣打印和簽署最后的定稿合同。
44. Print the contract on 24 pound bond paper instead of 20 pound copier
paper. Using a heavy bond paper will make it easy to tell the original contract
from copies. It will also last longer.
44.用24 磅的銅板紙而不是用20 磅的復(fù)印紙來打印合同。用厚一點的紙不僅復(fù)
印副本很容易，而且，它被保存的時間也要長一些。
45. Print on pages using the same paper, and if pages are changed, reprint
the document using the same paper. This will avoid an argument that pages
were substituted after the contract was signed.
45.打印整個合同要用同樣的紙，如果打印過程中紙發(fā)生了改變，一定要用同樣
的紙再打印一次。這樣做，對方就不會說合同在簽署后被偷換了。
46. Sign the contract in blue ink, not black ink. This, too, will make it easier to
differentiate the signed original contract from photocopies.
46. 最好用藍(lán)墨水而不是用黑墨水來簽署合同，因為藍(lán)墨水可以很容易地讓人區(qū)
別出哪個是合同正本，哪個是影印副本。
47. Initial every page of the contract. Having each party initial each page of
the contract will make it less likely that anyone could claim a page was
changed after the contract was signed.
47.讓雙方在每頁合同上簽字，這樣做可以避免有人懷疑合同簽署后被更改過。
48. Identify the parties and witnesses who sign by providing blank lines belowthe witnesses if the contract is contested. And remember to
include two witnesses for commercial leases.
48.在合同簽名欄的下方留下一些空白行，以便合同雙方和見證人填寫他們的名
字和地址。這樣，一旦合同引起糾紛，就能很容易地找到證人。要記住，一般的
商業(yè)租賃需要兩個見證人。
49. Be sure that corporate officers include their titles, the corporation name
and the word "as." Failure to do this can result in personal liability of the officer.
The proper way to sign in a representative capacity is as follows:
ABC Corporation, a Florida corporation
By:____________________________________
John Jones, as its President
49.簽名者如果是公司官員，一定要寫上他們的職務(wù)和其所在公司的名稱。不這
樣做就可能導(dǎo)致這個官員個人承擔(dān)責(zé)任。簽約代表簽名的正確方法如下：
ABC 公司，佛羅里州分公司
簽約代表：________________
公司總裁：史密斯.瓊斯
50. Add a notary clause that complies with the notary law. The notary
acknowledgement in Appendix B is such a clause.
50.根據(jù)公證法增加公證條款，類似的范例見附錄B
Concluding Advice
最后的忠告
If these 50 tips don't keep your contracts out of court, try mastering Strunk &
White's Elements of Style*. I hear it's real handy in appellate work.
如果這50 招都不能讓你起草的合同免于訴訟，那你就去掌握斯創(chuàng)得.懷特先生的
《設(shè)計原理》吧，我聽說它對應(yīng)付上訴非常有幫助。
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
譯者注：附錄部分未譯成文，有興趣的朋友可以自己翻譯，有問題，可以來信一
起討論：lawdoor@163.net
Appendix A (Basic Form of Contract)AGREEMENT made this _______ day of ____________, 20_____, between
______________________, hereinafter called "_______________", and
______________________, hereinafter called "_____________".
WHEREAS, ________________;
WHEREAS, ________________; and
WHEREAS, ________________;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises made herein,
and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby
acknowledged by each party, the parties, intending to be legally bound,
hereby agree as follows:
1. Recitals. The parties agree that the foregoing recitals are true and correct
and incorporated herein by this reference.
2. __________________.
___. Miscellaneous. Time is of the essence of this agreement. This agreement
is made in the State of Florida and shall be governed by Florida law. This is
the entire agreement between the parties and may not be modified or
amended except by a written document signed by the party against whom
enforcement is sought. This agreement may be signed in more than one
counterpart, in which case each counterpart shall constitute an original of this
agreement. Paragraph headings are for convenience only and are not
intended to expand or restrict the scope or substance of the provisions of this
agreement. Wherever used herein, the singular shall include the plural, the
plural shall include the singular, and pronouns shall be read as masculine,
feminine or neuter as the context requires. The prevailing party in any
litigation, arbitration or mediation relating to this agreement shall be entitled to
recover its reasonable attorneys fees from the other party for all matters,
including but not limited to appeals. Pinellas County, Florida, shall be proper
venue for any litigation involving this agreement. This agreement may not be
assigned or delegated by either party without the prior written consent of the
other party.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have signed this agreement as of the
day and year first above written.
____________________________ ________________________(Seal)
____________________________
Witnesses
____________________________ ________________________(Seal)____________________________
Witnesses
Appendix B (Basic Form of Notary Acknowledgement)
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF ____________
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this _____ day of
__________________, 20____, by _________.
Notary Public-State of Florida:
sign_________________________________
print________________________________
Personally Known _____; OR Produced Identification ______
Type of Identification Produced: ____________________________
Affix Seal Below:
Appendix C (Sample Letter of Intent Form)
LETTER OF INTENT FOR POSSIBLE
CONTRACT FOR SALE OF ASSETS
Possible Seller: _____________________________
Possible Buyer: _____________________________
Business: _____________________________
Date: ______________, 20_____
This is a non-binding letter of intent that contains provisions that are being
discussed for a possible sale of the Business named above from the possible
Seller named above to the possible Buyer named above. This is not a
contract. This is not a legally binding agreement. This is merely an outline of
possible contract terms for discussion purposes only. This is being signed inthe Possible Buyer to apply for financing of the purchase price.
This letter of intent is confidential and shall not be disclosed to anyone other
than the parties and their employees, attorneys and accountants and the
possible lenders of the Possible Buyer. The terms of the transaction being
discussed are attached hereto, but the terms (and the possible sale itself) are
not binding unless and until they are set forth in a written contract signed by
Possible Seller and Possible Buyer. The word "shall" is used in the attached
terms only as an example of how a contract might read, and it does not mean
that the attached terms are or ever will be legally binding.
____________________________ ________________________
____________________________
Witnesses
____________________________ ________________________
____________________________
Witnesses
Appendix D (Sample Hourly Attorney's Fee Agreement for Probate)
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ______________ COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NUMBER _________
IN RE: ESTATE OF
______________________,
DECEASED.
______________________________________/
ATTORNEY'S HOURLY FEE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made between the following persons:
Personal Representative: _____________________________Attorney: _____________________________
Residuary Beneficiaries: _____________________________
Whereas, Attorney is about to undertake the performance of substantial legal
services on behalf of the Personal Representative, for which Attorney shall be
paid fees and costs, and the Florida Bar's Rules of Professional Conduct
encourage attorneys and clients to enter into fee agreements at the
commencement of representation in order to avoid the possibility of
misunderstandings, and the Florida Probate Code requires that attorney fee
agreements be signed by the Personal Representative and by the persons
bearing the impact of the fees;
Now therefore, in consideration of their mutual promises stated herein, the
parties hereby agree that:
1. Hourly Rates. The Personal Representative has retained Attorney to
provide legal services to the Personal Representative for administration of the
above probate estate in Florida at hourly rates of $_____ for attorney time and
$_____ for paralegal time for all matters handled, including but not limited to
ordinary services and extraordinary services.
2. Limitation on Fees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Attorney agrees not to
bill fees for ordinary services of Attorney that would exceed the percentage
fees provided for in Florida Statutes Section 733.6171.
3. Monthly Bills. Fees shall be billed by Attorney and paid by the Personal
Representative out of the assets of the Estate on a monthly basis. Costs
incurred for copies, postage, long distance, fax, FedEx, filing fees, and other
items shall also be billed and paid at least monthly.
4. No Statutory Percentage Fees. The parties agree that the provisions of this
Fee Agreement replace the provisions of the applicable statutes and case law
and that Attorney will not charge fees based upon a percentage of the assets
or income of the probate estate. (Florida Statutes Section 733.6171 provides
that the following is presumed to be reasonable compensation for ordinary
services by the attorney for the Personal Representative: $1,500 for the first
$40,000 plus $750 for the next $30,000 plus $750 for the next $30,000 plus
3% of the rest of the inventory value and income of the probate estate for
ordinary services. The statute also provides that the attorney, personal
representative and persons bearing the impact of the compensation may
agree to compensation determined in a different manner. The statute also
provides that attorneys are entitled to additional compensation for
extraordinary services, such as real estate, adversary proceedings,homestead, tax matters, business, etc.)
5. Fee Proceedings. If the matter of fees and costs is submitted to the Court
for review or determination at any time, fees and costs shall be billed by and
paid to Attorney for such fee proceeding on the same basis as other fees
under this Agreement; i.e., billed and paid at least monthly. In addition,
attorneys testifying as expert witnesses on the matter of fees shall be entitled
to fees at their usual hourly rates, which shall be paid out of the estate.
6. Joint Representation. The parties agree that Attorney represents
________________ in his or her capacity as Personal Representative of the
Estate and also in his or her capacity as Successor Trustee of THE
______________ TRUST. The parties understand the potential conflict of
interest arising from representation of multiple parties in multiple roles. They
understand that if a conflict should ever develop between the multiple clients
concerning the Estate or Trust, then Attorney would not be able to represent
either of the clients in that conflict. The Personal Representative, Trustee and
residuary beneficiaries are encouraged to engage his or her own separate
lawyer before signing this agreement if they desire legal advice concerning
this Fee Agreement or concerning any other aspect of the probate estate or
Trust.
Under penalties of perjury, we declare that we have read the foregoing, and
the facts alleged are true, to the best of our knowledge and belief.
Attorney:
______________________________ Date:_________, 20____
Personal Representative:
______________________________ Date:_________, 20____
Residuary Beneficiary:
______________________________ Date:__________, 20____