Overview

Contracts are the cornerstone of commercial law, and an understanding of the way in which contract law works is essential for any commercial lawyer.

The purpose of this course is to consider how the law of contract works in practice. It discusses the main problems which arise in relation to commercial contracts and examines how the conceptual principles and rules of the law of contract are applied in practice.

We tend to study the law of contract at an early stage in our careers. The aim of this course is to reconsider what we know about the law of contract and discuss how it is applied in practice.

The course consists of ten seminars - each covering one of the main issues which occur in relation to commercial contracts. The course is intended to be interactive. Much of it involves the discussion of cases, and participants are encouraged to get involved in the discussion.

Course content

• Monday 6 November
  Have I got a contract?
• Tuesday 7 November
  Is my contract clear enough?
• Wednesday 8 November
  Has my contract started yet?
• Thursday 9 November
  What are the terms of my contract?
• Friday 10 November
  What types of term does my contract contain?
• Monday 26 November
  How can my contract be amended?
• Tuesday 27 November
  How can my contract be terminated?
• Wednesday 28 November
  What can I do if my contract is broken?
• Thursday 29 November
  Can a third party claim under my contract?
• Friday 1 December
  Can someone else make a contract for me?

Who this course is for

The course is intended for all commercial lawyers, whether they are in private practice or in-house lawyers in commerce, industry or government.

Teaching and structure 

The online course will be run over 10 x 1 hour sessions in early mornings from 08:45 - 10:00 - so that it fits with your practice needs. 

You'll need to download Zoom to your computer or use the online version of Zoom. You'll be sent the course materials and the Zoom links 1 week before your course starts.

Each session will be recorded and, if you miss a session, you will have 30 days to catch up.

Learning outcomes

This course will help you:

• understand of common drafting mistakes and pitfalls
• learn techniques for drafting clearer contracts
• practise your drafting skills by working on multiple, practical exercises
• receive feedback on how to improve your drafting

Costs and concessions

The standard price is £600.

A discounted price of £510 is available for:

• UCL Alumni
• Government legal departments / Academic Institutions

Additional discounts are available for non-UCL students

Course team

Richard Calnan

Richard Calnan is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP in London and a Visiting Professor at University College London.

He is the author of Taking Security (LexisNexis, fourth edition 2018), Proprietary Rights and Insolvency (Oxford University Press, second edition 2016) and Principles of Contractual Interpretation (Oxford University Press, second edition 2017). His book on Principles of Statutory Interpretation is due to be published by Oxford University Press later in 2022.

Course information last modified: 4 Oct 2023, 17:45