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Using A Contract Termination Letter

Using A Contract Termination Letter

A contract termination letter template may be used by a company in order to ensure that they terminate any contract in which they are currently in a method that will completely avoid further complications which can cause further disputes.
A contract termination letter template can be created to create an employment contract termination letter, a business contract termination letter, or a construction contract termination letter. These three contract termination letter types are the most common, which means that one of these three contract termination letter templates is most likely to be encountered or needed.
The essential elements to include in a contract termination letter are the names and specifications that can be used to identify the party to the contract who is receiving the contract termination letter. The contract termination letter should contain an opportunity to refer to the terms and conditions that were present in the original contract that empowers the party to terminate the contract.
If the contract termination letter involves a contract that requires the party breaking to contract to provide monetary compensation for breaking the contract, it is essential that the contract termination letter mentions how the payment will be provided.
A contract termination letter must include the code under which the individual gains the authorization to terminate the contract. This restriction primarily applies to a contract termination letter provided by a company to an employee. 
A contract termination letter should be completely professional.

Your Guide to Understanding Contract Management Software

Your Guide to Understanding Contract Management Software

What is Contract Management?
Contract management, is the management of contracts that are created between customers, partners, vendors or employees. The field of contract management includes negotiating the terms and conditions present in these contractual agreements, while subsequently ensuring that stipulations within the contract adhere to compliance issues designated by the underlying company or industry.
In addition, contract management entails the documenting and agreeing on all changes that may come to light during the implementation and execution of such contractual agreements. 
Contract management can be best summarized as the formal process of efficiently managing the creation of a contract, along with expediting the execution and required analysis of the contract. The systematic approach of contract management is required to maximize the financial and operational capabilities and performance of the underlying parties. In addition, contract management is undertaken to mitigate the risk associated with a contractual agreement.
Contract management deals with contractual agreements that are made in a commercial setting; common forms of commercial contracts will include employment letters, purchase orders, sales invoices and utility contracts.
The more complicated forms of commercial contracts will include contractual agreements regarding constructions projects, the exchange of goods or services that are regulated by a government authority or require the delivery of technical specifications, intellectual property agreements and issues revolving around international trade. 

Contract Management Software:
The majority of large corporations in the United States, actively manage and maintain nearly 50,000 contracts at any given time. The majority of these contracts, are managed in a tradition or manual sense; however, approximately one quarter of such companies have recently implemented a form of contract management software to expedite the management of such contracts. 
Contract management software is an automate program to help streamline the creation and negotiation of a business contract; contract management software achieves such functions through compliance and renewal and through exhaustive monitoring of the underlying contracts. Contract management software requires the programs to maintain a corporate contract, to improve a respect company’s access and visibility in regards to the control of contracts. 
The majority of contract management software will also enable the corporation to create and observe warehouse standard contracts and business terms and conditions for such contracts through various templates. Other forms of business contract management software will utilize a Service Lifecycle management program, which will bundle contract management with all other forms of management in relation to service-based operations. 
This function enables the contract management software to improve the company’s customer retention; through these various functions, the average piece of contract management software will allow companies to better achieve savings during procurement negotiations and procurement spending. In addition, contract management software, will enable the using corporation to improve sales effectiveness and increase compliance by allowing contracts to ultimately drive day-to-day operations. 

All You Need to Know About Restatement of Contracts

All You Need to Know About Restatement of Contracts

The Restatement of Contracts is one of the most widely recognized and most frequently cited legal treatises that is part of jurisprudence in the United States of America. It is taught to most American law students during the first year of law school. It is the most-cited non-binding authority in common law in the United States.
The Restatement of Contracts is a peerless work in terms of overall influence and recognition among individuals on both the bar and the bench. The only possible rival for its recognition is the Restatement of Torts. The Second Edition of the Restatement of Contracts was begun in 1962, with the American Law Institute completing its compilation in 1979.
The general purpose of a restatement of the law is to allow judges and lawyers to have a general understanding of a set of treatises on legal subjects. The Restatement of Contracts allows individuals to have a general understanding of the principles of contract law. The Restatements of Contracts is one of the twenty three Restatements compiled by the American Law Institute.
The Restatement of Contracts is not legally binding, but it carries a great deal of weight and is highly persuasive because it represents the thoughts of prominent legal professors, practicing attorneys, and judges. The Restatement of Contracts is a reflective consensus reached by the American legal system and professionals, both of what the law is and, in rare cases, what the law should be.

Privity of Contract Explained

Privity of Contract Explained

Privity of contract is a legal
doctrine that holds that a business contract, along with any other type of
contract, may not confer rights or impose obligations to any person or agent
except for the specific parties that have formed the contract.

Privity of contract is most
commonly an issue which arises during business contracts that have been formed
to allow for the sale of goods or services. Horizontal privity of contract
becomes an issue when the benefits bestowed by a contract are given to a third
party or a party that was not a part of the original contract. Vertical privity
of contract involves an independent contract that develops between one signer
of the original contract and another individual or other legal entity.

There are certain circumstances
under which privity of contract may be set aside which will allow the legal
entity who is not directly a part of the business contract to be allowed to sue
to force a party to the original contract to uphold their obligations. Privity
of contract will only allow a third party to the contract to go against one of
the original parties to the contract beyond the ability to collect the third
party’s entitlement to a benefit under the contract.

Government Files Lawsuit against Fluor Companies

Government Files Lawsuit against Fluor Companies


On November 8, 2012, the Department of Justice announced that the United States government is intervening in a case against Fluor Corporation and its subsidiary, Fluor Hanford Inc, after the Texas-based companies used federal funds for lobbying activity.  The lawsuit for violations of the False Claims Act was first filed by a whistleblower, Loydene Rambo.  


According to the Justice Department, Fluor had a contract with the Department of Energy (DOE) for multiple services at the Hanford Nuclear Site in Washington State between 1999 and 2008.  The facility is federally funded.  


According to the original complaint, part of the DOE contract stated that Fluor could not use the federal funds for lobbying.  The whistle blower’s complaint alleged that Fluor used the funds for lobbying from 2005 to 2008 anyway.  The company hired two lobbying firms, Secure Horizons LLC and Congressional Strategies LLC, to lobby members of Congress and federal agencies.  


The United States has agreed to intervene in the case against Fluor, but the government will not intervene in cases against Secure Horizons LLC and Congressional Strategies LLC.  Since Ms. Rambo filed the lawsuit under the False Claims Act, she can share a percentage of the recovery with the United States government.  


Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, stated: “The taxpayer money Congress allocated for this program was for training federal emergency response personnel and first responders, not to lobby Congress and other for more funding.  When public funds are misused, as alleged in this case, the Justice Department will work to restore them to the Treasury.”


The Civil Division of the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington are handling the case and receiving assistance from the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General.  


Source: U.S. Department of Justice
 

Find Out All You Need to Know About Construction Worker

Find Out All You Need to Know About Construction Worker

What is a Construction Worker?
A construction worker is an individual employed in the construction industry; a construction worker will perform various physical roles on construction sites. The term ā€œconstruction workerā€ is somewhat broad and will incorporate general construction workers, such as members of specialist trades such as carpenters, plumbers and electricians. As a result of this incorporation, a construction worker will encompass a number of laborers who are engaged in physical work or the construction of a tangible building or site.

Types of Construction Workers:
Within the field of construction includes specific roles that will incorporate a specialty aligned with the construction of a building. For example, when building a house, apartment or factory, numerous aspects of the creation must be accounted for. To properly build the structure, a construction company will utilize the following types of construction workers: 
A tradesman or a bricklayer is a fundamental type of construction worker; these individuals lay brick and construct brickwork. The term also incorporates those individuals who use blocks to construct walls and other forms of masonry. 
A construction worker can also be a carpenter, who is a skilled craftsman who performs a wide range of woodworking that includes constructing furniture, constructing buildings and other objects that are made of wood. This field of work will involve significant manual labor and outdoor work.
A carpet layer is another type of construction worker; these individuals specialize in laying flooring and carpets. 
A concrete finisher is a type of tradesmen who works with concrete. This role includes placing, fishing, repairing concrete in construction projects and protecting the structure.
A heavy equipment operator is a fundamental type of construction worker who drives and operates heavy equipment on the site. A heavy equipment operator will use various capital and heavy equipment to construct and engineer various projects.
A heating and cooling specialist is also required during the construction of a project. Healing and cooling specialists are types of tradesmen that specialize in water pumps and furnaces. 
An electrician is another type of construction worker; these tradesmen specialize in electrical wiring of buildings and other related equipment. An electrician may be employed in the construction of new buildings or the maintenance of existing infrastructure. 
Laborers are types of tradesmen who are proficient with hand tools, small heavy equipment, air tools and assisting other trades.
Plumbers are also incorporated with construction projects; a plumber is a type of tradesman who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for heating, drainage, plumbing, potable water or small-sized industrial process plant piping. 
A pipefitter is someone who assembles, lays out, fabricates, maintains and repairs large-sized piping systems for industrial projects—these pipes are typically under high pressure and require various metals, such as stainless steel, carbon steel and other alloys. 
The last type of basic construction worker is a steel erector; these individuals are tradesman will install structural steel frames of building and engineering projects. This type of work is executed in small teams; each individual will use powered and hand tools to bolt the steelwork together. 

Promissory Estoppel Overview

Promissory Estoppel Overview

What is Promissory Estoppel?
In a general sense, Promissory Estoppel is a legal doctrine used in American law, which allows a party to recover on a promise, even if the promise was made without a formal consideration. In essence, a Promissory Estoppel prevents an individual from arguing that an underlying promise offered should not be upheld.
In addition, a Promissory Estoppel requires that a reliance on the promise was deemed reasonable and that the individual attempting to enforce the promise actually relied on the promise to his or her detriment. As is common with numerous forms of legality issues, the precise legal requirements needed to enact Promissory Estoppel may vary between jurisdictions within the United States.
A common example of Promissory Estoppel is where an employer offers an oral promise to pay an employee a monthly amount for the remainder of the individual’s retirement. If the employee relies on the promise and subsequently retires, the employer will likely be estopped, based on the principle of a promissory estoppel, from reneging on this promise to offer the monthly retirement payment.
Laws surrounding a Promissory Estoppel:
In a typical case of a promise or a contract, the law requires that a party receive consideration for the agreement. Consideration refers to a valuable asset that is exchanged between the two parties and the time of the agreement or the promise was made. Consideration can take the form of an asset, the exchange of monies, or the promise to refrain from doing something. Regardless of the form of consideration required in a contract, a consideration is needed in order to make an agreement or promise legally enforceable.
That being said, because the court system aims to achieve fairness, a legal forum will apply the doctrine of promissory estoppel in situations where a consideration is made. Even if an enforceable contract is not generated, the law may enforce the promise if a reasonable reliance and detriment are proven.
Differences between the Promissory Estoppel Doctrine and the Doctrine of Estoppel:
A promissory estoppel relies on a promise, while the doctrine of estoppel relies on a statement of fact. As a result of this foundational difference, the two doctrines complicate contractual agreements or the statement of a promise. Even if an agreement is not based on a formal consideration and even if promissory estoppel is not enforceable, because the situation did not include a promise, a court system can still enforce the ā€œagreementā€ as a means to promote fairness.
This somewhat loose interpretation of promissory estoppel enables the court to impose obligations on the parties through the delivery of a quasi-contract—a doctrine that implied in law.

Contractor Explained

Contractor Explained

What is a Contractor?
A contractor is an individual or company who is responsible for the day-to-day operations and oversight of a construction site. In addition to these functions a contractor will also manage the transactions involved in the site, primarily trades and deals with vendors.
A contractor is also responsible for keeping touch with the general contractor and the involved parties involved throughout the course of the project. 

Price Evaluation Process:
Before starting a construction project, a contractor must visit and assess the construction site. Upon evaluating the piece of property, the contractor will formulate a price, referred to as an estimate. The contractors will then evaluate the cost of all materials, equipment, as well as the cost of labor. After analyzing the expected cost of the project, the contractor will provide the owner of the building with an approximate price for the construction process. 
Following the delivery of the expected price for the project, the contractor will draw up contracts. These contracts will elaborate on the budget and the conditions revolving around the plans and specifications of the project. The contractor will utilize a design professional, such as an architect, to better evaluate the necessities of the project. That being said, in the majority of construction sites, the contractor will also act as the project engineer or the project manager. 

What is a Contractor Responsible for?
A contractor is responsible for providing the construction companies and the individual workers with all material, including labor, equipment and those services necessary for the construction of the project. In order to accomplish these tasks, the contractor will incorporate specialized subcontractors to perform specialized tasks or portions of the construction process. 
The responsibilities of the contractor will vary depending on the size and complexity of the construction project. In general; however, a contractor will be responsible for providing or accomplishing the following tasks: filing for building permits, securing the property, managing the workers on site, providing temporary materials and utilities on site, providing engineering functions and surveying for the site, disposing of wastes left over by the construction process, monitoring the schedules of workers, balancing the costs of the project and maintain accurate records regarding the finances and the construction process as a whole.


Example of a Contractor’s work:
An owner of a building or a real estate developer will develop a program based on their needs and subsequently choose a site. An architect will then assemble a design team of engineers and other experts to design the building and pinpoint specifications needed for construction. During this phase, the contractor will frequently participate in the design efforts by providing services where they will aid in providing price estimations and information revolving around scheduling. 
The owner, contractor and architect will then work closely together to meet the deadline and budget of the project. The contractor will work with subcontractors to ensure that all quality standards have been met, in addition to the budget and timeline.  

Find Out What Meeting of the Minds Means

Find Out What Meeting of the Minds Means

One of the essential tenets of contract law is that in order for a legal and valid contract to be formed in the eyes of the courts, there must be a ā€œmeeting of the mindsā€ between the parties forming the contract. The parties to the contract can be individuals, or a legal entity can be entered into a contract by an official in a position of power in the legal entity.
However, establishing the existence of a meeting of the minds is very difficult for the courts to determine. If there is any dispute about the terms of a contract before a meeting of the minds develops, the courts will show a preference to interpret the terms of the contract in a way which does the least harm or damage to all the parties involved.
A meeting of the minds may also be found to not exist if the contract fails a ā€œreasonable manā€ test. The reasonable man test is that a normal person with the range of knowledge that a person of a similar background to the person disputing some or all of the terms of the contract, would have reasonably interpreted the contract in a particular manner. The reasonable man test can be influenced by the specific individuals who are involved in the contract at issue.

Deed Poll

Deed Poll

A deed poll is a type of legal document that only involves a single person or party, and which states a particular intention that such a person is bound to by the document itself. A deed poll itself is not a contract due to the fact that only one party is affected by such a legal document and it states only an intention, rather than a guarantee or promise. This kind of document is oftentimes referred to as a deed poll name change because it is very commonly used in order to enact a name change for an individual. 
Change name by deed poll is most commonly used in Europe, particularly in England, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. Other nations such as Hong Kong and New Zealand also use the deed poll name change.
Typically speaking, to change name by deed poll will require that a person complete a form, which must be signed by a witness. The form is then filed with the appropriate court. In many jurisdictions, deed poll name change may be considered as a legal name change, though change name by deed poll may not necessarily change a person’s name on the birth certificate. 
Therefore, in the case that a passport is to be obtained, for instance, both the birth certificate and the change name by deed poll document will need to be furnished in order to complete the passport requirements.

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