Some BigLaw In-House-Seminar Testimonials

I’ve been remiss about asking my in-house-seminar clients for testimonials, and I resolved to fix that. Last week I was in Houston, and I’m pleased to have received the following testimonials (my thanks to Lori and Tim):

Ken Adams has continually presented a great “Drafting Clearer Contracts” training program for our associates. His sessions are extremely clear and organized and participants always come away with useful take-aways.

Lori Thomas, Professional Development Manager, Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP

Although I’ve spent a significant part of my practice drafting documents, Ken Adams’s hands-on program reminded me of important issues that often get buried in verbiage, and it taught me new thought and drafting skills. For example, using his “categories of contract language” to focus on what you’re trying to accomplish in a given provision helped me think about ‘shall’ and ‘must’ in a new way. His exercises were stimulating, interesting, on point, and current. A great set of materials and a lot of fun!

Timothy J. Tyler, Counsel, Vinson & Elkins LLP

To keep things interesting on this blog—at least for me!—every so often I’ll get on my soapbox about the state of mainstream contract drafting, or look fondly to some grand utopian document-assembly future. But my instinct is rooted in the practical. I’m acutely aware of the hurdles facing any law firm looking to put its contract process on a rational footing, and the challenges facing new associates trying to make sense of the contact verbiage they’re asked to slog through. So when I conduct a seminar at a law firm, we discuss not only what language works best,  but also which battles are worth fighting and which are not worth fighting, depending on what hat you’re wearing in a given deal.

I think it’s that mix of the rigorous and the practical that makes my in-house “Drafting Clearer Contracts” seminars work.

About the author

Ken Adams is the leading authority on how to say clearly whatever you want to say in a contract. He’s author of A Manual of Style for Contract Drafting, and he offers online and in-person training around the world. He’s also chief content officer of LegalSifter, Inc., a company that combines artificial intelligence and expertise to assist with review of contracts.

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