Contract Drafting & Negotiation

The law firm of Albright Stoddard Warnick & Stoddard provides legal counsel for all areas of contract drafting and negotiation. Service services we provide include:

• Drafting and reviewing contract documents
• Preparing draft project correspondence
• Preparing actual claim submissions
• Performing schedule and claim analyses

Many construction contracts contain what is known as the "pay-if-paid" clause. Such clauses basically say that the general contractor only must pay subcontractors for services rendered if and when the general contractor is paid by the owner of the project.

As you can easily see, these "pay-if-paid" or "pay-when-paid" contracts can cause serious financial and legal problems for contractors and construction workers. Fortunately, in many states, such clauses are unenforceable by law. However, certain states such as Illinois, Wisconsin and North Carolina still have such clauses on the books. And other states, such as Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, and Utah, do not bar such clauses from contracts despite the fact that they can only be enforced under strict guidelines.

Therefore, contractors need expert legal counsel when contracting for your construction project in order to know how and when such clauses can be effectively neutralized under the law.

In addition, contract disputes related to terms and conditions of prime contracts, subcontracts, and purchase orders can significantly increase the cost of building projects. At the law firm of Albright Stoddard Warnick & Stoddard, our skilled construction law attorneys regularly draft original contracts. Our skilled research team study industry standard contracts drafted by such reputable organizations as The American Institute of Architects, The Association of General Contractors, and The American Subcontractors Association. Our approach enables our lawyers to help clients limit the risks associated with construction projects.