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Costs and expenses clauses

The Costs and expenses clauses guidance note explains how parties can strategically allocate financial responsibilities within agreements, a critical aspect for legal practitioners drafting commercial contracts. This expert guidance outlines the scope and implications of these boilerplate clauses without revealing full drafting instructions.

Topics Covered

  • Purpose of this boilerplate clause
  • Key drafting considerations for this boilerplate clause
  • Possible approaches
  • Parties, recitals, definitions and interpretation clauses
  • Indemnity clauses
  • Duty

Essential Insights

  • Assess which costs and expenses each party might incur, including legal fees and professional disbursements.
  • Evaluate strategic allocation options beyond the standard “each party pays own costs” approach.
  • Consider the complex interplay of duty (stamp duty) liabilities and contractual indemnities.
  • Identify critical factors influencing whether one party bears another’s costs under different commercial contexts.
  • Understand the nuances of legal cost categories, such as solicitor/client versus party/party costs.
  • Recognise how specific drafting choices impact risk allocation without full compliance steps disclosed.

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