Tacoma Contract Lawyer

Contracts are one of the most essential parts of running a business. Whether it be purchase and sale agreements or employment contracts, running a business means consistently relying on contracts.

Rely on a qualified contract lawyer in Tacoma, WA, when you need legal guidance. The legal team at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess is ready to assist you.

What is a Contract?

A contract is an agreement between two or more parties. When a contract is created and executed correctly, it is legally enforceable.

To make a contract legally enforceable, you must have:

• An offer: An offer is a promise to do or refrain from doing something in exchange for something else, like money or the other party’s performance under the contract’s terms.
• An acceptance: Acceptance is the party’s assent to the terms of the contract. Depending on the type of contract, acceptance can be either expressed or implied.
• Consideration: Consideration is a bargained-for exchange. The definition of consideration depends on the contract itself, but could include money, a promise to do something, or performance. Simply put, it refers to the benefit each party receives under the contract.

These three items are just the main details required to make a contract legally binding. Certain types of contracts may have additional requirements under the law.

Our Firm Can Help You with Several Different Types of Contracts

There are many different types of contracts in the business world. Depending on what you’re doing or what goal you’re trying to accomplish, contracts are often involved. Therefore, it’s vital to have the legal support of an experienced Tacoma contract lawyer.

Business Contracts

A business contract is an umbrella term covering many kinds of contracts and agreements that businesses and businesspeople encounter frequently. Some of the most common types of business contracts include:

• Nondisclosure agreements: NDAs are used for multiple reasons, including barring certain parties, including employees or vendors, from sharing private or proprietary information with other, outside parties.
• Partnership agreements: When two or more parties decide to join forces and work together, a partnership agreement maps out the business relationship and responsibilities shared by all partners.
• Terms of Use agreements: Terms of Use agreements are agreements between website, software, or application owners and users, allowing users to utilize certain services.
• Licensing agreements: Licensing agreements are often utilized to allow a third party to use a business’s products or services for a share of the user’s profits.
• Indemnity agreements: Also known as a “hold harmless” agreement or release of liability, an indemnity agreement protects a party or business from potential liability caused by certain risks.

These types of agreements are only some of the many kinds of business contracts or clauses available. Our contracts lawyers have extensive experience working with several types of businesses, allowing us to help you determine what contracts you may need to continue running your business smoothly and successfully.

Employment Contracts

Employment contracts are also a type of business contract. If your business hires an employee, you’ll likely have the new employee sign a contract.

Employment contracts often contain many essential types of information and clauses, including:

• Job duties: Employment contracts detail the new employee’s job duties and essential functions of the position, setting clear expectations.
• Compensation and benefits: The contract lists the compensation the employee can expect to receive and any benefits, like health insurance.
• Termination: Depending on the details of employment, the contract may detail when the employment is to terminate or list reasons why the contract could be terminated in the future.
• Non-compete: A non-compete clause dictates that if and when the employee leaves the business, they cannot work for a competitor or engage in a competing line of business within a set number of miles for a specified amount of time.
• Non-solicitation: A non-solicitation clause protects the business from employees’ attempting to take clients or other employees away from the business.

A strong employment contract helps form healthy business relationships and protects your business in many ways.

Independent Contractor Agreements

Along the lines of employment contracts, independent contractor agreements are commonplace in many businesses. Unlike employees, independent contractors do not work for a business long-term. A business may benefit from independent contractors for many reasons, including obtaining short-term assistance for specific jobs or projects.

An independent contractor agreement should thoroughly outline information regarding the job and business relationship, eliminating any confusion for either party. These agreements often include the scope of the work, compensation, and termination of the agreement. Depending on the type of work, independent contractor agreements could also benefit from confidentiality clauses and details regarding intellectual property ownership rights.

Real Estate Contracts

At some point or another, most businesses will encounter real estate contracts. A real estate contract is not just for the purchase of a commercial space, but could also include selling a space you own, leasing a new space for your business, or leasing your space to a tenant.

A strong real estate contract should include certain terms and clauses, including specific details of the agreement and contingencies. Our Tacoma contract lawyers possess the necessary knowledge to help ensure your real estate contracts are properly drafted, executed, and enforced.

Contract Matters We Handle

The contract process takes time and skill. The contract attorneys at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess can manage every stage of contract formation, agreement, and beyond, from drafting to handling breaches.

Contract Drafting

Everything starts with the creation of a contract. When you have a proper, well-worded contract, it could do wonders for you and your business.

Our lawyers take the time to get to know your needs and goals. Understanding you and your business allows us to craft the right kind of contract with all necessary clauses and language.

When a contract is done well the first time around, it could save your business from any trouble in the future.

Contract Review

Under certain circumstances, you may not be the party responsible for drafting a contract; instead, the other party in the agreement may provide you with a completed agreement. In these situations, it’s best to pause and have a Tacoma contract lawyer review the contract on your behalf.

Thoroughly examining a contract helps ensure you’re getting a fair deal and your needs and rights are respected. Once you sign a contract, there’s usually no going back. Therefore, when you have a business agreement, allow our attorneys to review it for you.

Contract Negotiation

Aside from simply reviewing business contracts and agreements, our contract lawyers can engage in negotiations on your behalf as well.

Contract negotiation requires the parties in the contract to communicate and come to an agreement on the essential terms of the contract. The resulting agreement should be favorable for all parties involved, as terms should benefit everyone.

Negotiation is truly an art. Our contract lawyers can represent your best interests and work with the opposing party to reach the fairest outcome.

Breaches of Contract

Sometimes, issues arise even with the best contracts. A breach of contract occurs when a party does not respect the terms set forth in a valid contract, therefore failing to keep up their end of the bargain in some way.

Whether another party breached your contract or you’re accused of breaching a contract, our breach of contract lawyer will do whatever it takes to handle the legal issues, through negotiations, mediation or arbitration, or litigation.

Do I Need a Contract Attorney?

You’re not legally required to have a contract lawyer handle your agreements and business matters. However, having a contract attorney on your side can yield much better results than handling contractual matters on your own.

A contract lawyer can provide many benefits, including:

• Helping ensure you have solid, valid business contracts
• Identifying potential issues within agreements and resolving them
• Limiting or even avoiding misunderstandings between parties
• Handling any breach of contract issues as quickly and efficiently as possible
• Helping save time and money in the long run.

Business and contract law can be complicated to understand, and there are many laws and regulations that could dictate your business dealings. A contract lawyer knows how to handle everything contract-related, helping you achieve your business goals.

Choose Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess for Your Contract Law Needs

Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess has been serving business clients for over 25 years. Our legal team, has over a century of combined experience. Our passion and dedication to our work is evident through our positive outcomes and satisfied clients.

Every attorney at our firm has an impressive background and outstanding skill set. When you entrust your contract matters to us, you can feel confident knowing your business is in the most capable hands.

Contract Law – Frequently Asked Questions

The following are some of the most commonly asked contract law questions our clients ask our contract law attorneys.

Is a Contract Ever Legally Unenforceable?

If the essential elements of a contract are satisfied, including offer, acceptance, and consideration, a contract is generally enforceable. However, under contract law, some circumstances may deem a contract unenforceable, including:

• Duress
• Impossibility or impracticability
• Lack of capacity
• Violation of public policy.

While certain reasons may make a contract unenforceable, your contract lawyer will do everything possible to ensure your contract is legally enforceable.

Are Contracts Valid if They’re Not in Writing?

Oral contracts are only valid in limited circumstances. In many cases, contracts must be in writing and signed to be enforceable under the law.

What Type of Remedies are Available When a Party Breaches a Contract?

Remedies for breach of contract claims can involve monetary damages or equitable remedies. Monetary damages can include compensatory damages or restitution, and equitable remedies can include specific performance or contract rescission.

Can the Terms of a Contract Ever Be Changed?

Terms of a contract may be changed; however, all parties must agree to the change. A contract attorney can make the alterations in a manner that preserves the validity and enforceability of the contract.

Should you have additional questions or concerns regarding contract law, a contract lawyer in Tacoma, WA, would be happy to discuss them with you.

Consult with a Qualified Contract Lawyer in Tacoma

Don’t tackle your business and contract matters alone. The contract attorneys at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess are always ready to provide the highest-quality legal guidance.

Contact us today at (253) 572-1000 to request a consultation.