What does your contract mean? How the courts interpret contracts

All too often, a term might seem perfectly clear to the parties when the contract is agreed, but a dispute later arises as to how it is meant to apply in the circumstances that have come about.

If the parties cannot resolve the issue, the court may be called on to interpret the contract. Where the parties have not made themselves clear, the result may then be difficult to predict.

In this second of our series of contract disputes practical guides, Gary Milner-Moore, Natasha Johnson and Steven Dalton consider the court’s approach to interpreting contracts and some practical steps that can be taken to minimise the risks. Topics covered include natural meaning vs commercial common sense, exclusion of pre-contract negotiations, and implied terms. You can click here to download the PDF guide.

Clients and contacts of the firm can also register to access the archived version of our webinar exploring these issues by contacting Jane Webber. The webinar lasts an hour and qualifies for one CPD point.

If you would prefer a shorter version focusing on key practical tips, Natasha has also presented this 10 minute podcast.