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Drafting Best Efforts, Good Faith, and Fair Dealing Clauses in Commercial Contracts

Avoiding Enforceability and Interpretation Pitfalls With Clear and Measurable Performance Standards

Recording of a 90-minute CLE webinar with Q&A

This program is included with the Strafford CLE Pass. Click for more information.
This program is included with the Strafford All-Access Pass. Click for more information.

Conducted on Thursday, March 5, 2020

Recorded event now available

or call 1-800-926-7926

This CLE course will guide business counsel who seek to draft enforceable best efforts, reasonable efforts, or commercially reasonable efforts clauses in commercial contracts. The webinar will include a discussion of how some courts have applied the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing when interpreting efforts provisions.

Description

Parties to commercial contracts frequently negotiate clauses in the agreements requiring one or both parties to use their "best efforts" to perform their obligations under the contract. In some states, "reasonable efforts" or "commercially reasonable efforts" provisions are instead used to convey the parties' expected performance under a commercial contract.

When disputes over contract performance arise, interpreting efforts clauses often presents challenges for the parties, their counsel, and the courts. Because drafting counsel have often failed to define the actions that constitute "best efforts" clearly, courts have had a difficult time interpreting efforts clauses. In the absence of express language, courts will often rely on the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing to determine the acceptable standard of performance.

To avoid enforceability pitfalls, expensive litigation, or protracted settlement negotiations, counsel for contracting parties should consider including a clear set of guidelines for measuring the performance of efforts provisions in commercial contracts.

Listen as our experienced panel examines how some courts have ruled in contract disputes centered around best efforts, reasonable efforts, and commercially reasonable efforts clauses. The panel will discuss best practices for drafting precise and predictable efforts provisions in commercial contracts that adequately reflect the parties' expectations.

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Outline

  1. Examples of the common usage of best efforts, reasonable best efforts, and commercially reasonable efforts clauses
  2. Case law guidance
    1. What is required of parties to satisfy "efforts" expectations?
    2. How are courts applying the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing when interpreting efforts provisions?
  3. Best practices for drafting efforts provisions

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key issues:

  • How are best efforts, reasonable best efforts, and commercially reasonable efforts different?
  • What challenges do business counsel face surrounding the drafting and enforcement of efforts clauses?
  • How can counsel draft efforts provisions in their agreements that reflect the intent of the parties while not promising too much or expecting too little?

Faculty

Conroy, Rebekah
Rebekah R. Conroy

Founding Partner
Stone Conroy

Ms. Conroy's practice is centered on complex business litigation, including products liability, RICO, contract and...  |  Read More

Gates, Zachary
Zachary R. Gates, Esq.

Attorney
Gates Law Office

Mr. Gates practice focuses on business litigation, intellectual property and patents. He previously served...  |  Read More

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