Winding Up the Spring Seminar Season

Yesterday I gave in New Jersey, before a good crowd, my last “Drafting Clearer Contracts” seminar for West LegalEdcenter for the first half of the year. I have a couple of other seminars coming up, notably one for a state government agency early next week, but things are winding down for the summer. As far as seminars go, it’s been … Read More

Hey, Hong Kong! Check Out What Singapore Had to Say About My Seminar!

I’m giving a seminar in Hong Kong on 5 March. (For more information, go here.) If people in Hong Kong are uncertain of the value of what I have to offer, here is some fresh feedback from participants at last week’s Singapore seminar: Extremely informative and useful Exceeded my expectations as new ideas & concepts are visited Very interactive and novel … Read More

Some Webcast Feedback

From the perspective of the presenter, one key way in which webcasts differ from live seminars is that feedback is hard to come by: since launching my series of webcasts with West LegalEdcenter, I’ve heard nary a peep from anyone who has watched them. That made it particularly gratifying to receive the following email from Gary Karl, a partner in … Read More

Any Webcast Feedback?

Today sees the launch of webcast 5 in my series Drafting Clearer Contracts, which is being offered by West LegalEdcenter and is sponsored by Business Integrity. Webcast 5 will run as a “live” webcast starting at 1:00 p.m. EDT, meaning that I’ll be on hand to respond in writing to any questions submitted. Starting a day or two later, it … Read More

“No One Shall Swim Alone”

Earlier this week I received the following message and photo from Karen Belair, of Union Pacific Railroad’s law department: I just wanted follow up and let you know what an indelible impression you left on our department since the Drafting Clearer Contracts seminar at Union Pacific last fall. If nothing else, you have made many of us stop and think … Read More

“Team Adams” and Hiring Informed Consumers of Contract Language

On Wednesday I was pleased to receive an email from Lissa Morris. She participated in a series of Drafting Clearer Contracts: Masterclass, and Wednesday saw the last of the eight weekly one-hour sessions in her series. Her email is below—you’ll see why I found it a tonic. In it, Lissa refers to “Team Adams.” I propose that it’s her way … Read More

I’m Crowdsourcing Testimonials

I’m overhauling my website, and today I was reminded that the page devoted to A Manual of Style for Contract Drafting has testimonials that were valuable 17 or 13 years ago but are no longer relevant. So I’d like to replace them. (Thank you again to those who submitted those testimonials; it’s time for a well-deserved rest.) I’d like to … Read More

The Return of “Drafting Clearer Contracts” Presentations

At the onset of the pandemic, I declined the opportunity to do an online version of my in-person Drafting Clearer Contracts seminar. But over time, we’ve all gotten used to Zoom. Yes, in-person presentations are more fun, and it’s easier for participants to engage. On the other hand, doing presentations remotely offers compelling efficiencies. And as things stand, the choice … Read More

Seeking Video Testimonials

Plenty of you appreciate what I do. I know that because I hear from you. And plenty of you have given me written testimonials; for example, go here, here, here, and here. But I’d like to help foster more of a sense of community—yes, a community of contract-language nerds, but still a community—by having you share your impressions in a more, uh, intimate form. … Read More

Pandering to Traditionalists

I’ve been doing public and in-house “Drafting Clearer Contracts” seminars for, oh, 14 years now. That’s because people find them worthwhile and, shockingly enough, somewhat entertaining. Otherwise, I would have gotten the hook long ago. So the feedback is positive, but occasionally participants suggest I adjust my approach. For example, here’s what a participant at my recent New York seminar … Read More