Public sector clause bank

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This subtopic is aimed at public sector lawyers dealing with contract matters and contains a selection of guidance and Precedents, including boilerplate and key clauses common to many contracts which govern the general operation of the agreement and the respective rights of the parties. Subjects covered include the use of defined terms, the role of boilerplate and an introduction to the rules of jurisdiction.

The selected guidance in this subtopic is intended to provide an overview of some of the key terms relevant for drafting contracts and frameworks. Further Precedents and guidance are available from Lexis+® UK Commercial and Dispute Resolution.

Use of defined terms

The purpose of defining terms in an agreement is to avoid:

  1. •

    ambiguity, by giving specific meanings to words and setting out their scope, which may differ from their ordinary meaning

  2. •

    repetition, particularly of long or complex phrases, so that the agreement is more concise and easier to read

Care should be taken when drafting individual terms and definitions. Contract drafters should ensure that the inclusion of each term and scope of each definition is appropriate in the context of both

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