The useful starting point
Tell the lawyer how the deal should work in practice. The document makes more sense when the commercial expectations are explicit.
A contract review is most useful when the adviser understands the transaction behind the clauses. Explain what each side is expected to supply, how payment should work and what would happen if the project changes. A generic request to “check this contract” leaves important assumptions hidden. This guide helps you define a review task without attempting to replace tailored drafting or decide the effect of a clause.
01 / Practical step
Write the deal in ordinary language
Describe the parties, deliverable, timing, payment arrangement and intended use of the result. Note which points have been agreed and which remain proposals. If an email or statement of work contains part of the deal, include it with the main terms. Ask the lawyer to identify inconsistencies between documents. A contract may refer to schedules or online terms that are easy to miss when only the signature page is supplied.
02 / Practical step
Show where the project could change
List practical uncertainties: extra revisions, delayed inputs, substituted materials, additional users or a changed delivery date. Ask how variations are proposed, approved and priced under the actual agreement. Identify assumptions you have made about cancellation or work already completed. The lawyer can assess the drafting, while you explain the operational reality. Do not assume an informal understanding will be obvious to someone reading the agreement later.
03 / Practical step
Ask about rights and responsibilities
Point out questions concerning intellectual property, confidentiality, liability, insurance, warranties and use of subcontractors where they appear. Ask the adviser to explain their effect in the context of your transaction. Avoid treating a clause heading as proof that the subject is adequately addressed. If another professional needs to check insurance or technical specifications, agree who obtains that input and whether the legal review depends on it.
04 / Practical step
Choose the output you need
An issues summary, marked-up draft, new contract and negotiation are different deliverables. Ask whether the quote covers related schedules and later changes from the other party. Clarify how many versions or discussion rounds are included, if the firm uses such limits. Request a final explanation of unresolved points before signing. The lowest review price may simply describe a smaller task, which can still be appropriate if it matches your needs.
05 / Practical step
Illustrative example: a website project
A business commissions a website and expects to reuse its design and content. The proposed agreement describes delivery but leaves the client unsure about ongoing access, third-party licences and later changes. The business asks the lawyer to assess those questions using the supplier’s full terms and project outline. This invented example does not determine ownership; it demonstrates how a practical expectation becomes a focused legal question.
- Full terms and referenced schedules
- Plain-language deal outline
- Unresolved commercial points
- Relevant emails or proposals
- Requested review output
06 / Practical step
Plan how the contract will be used after signing
Ask the lawyer to explain any process in the agreement that your team will need to follow, such as giving notices, approving variations or recording acceptance. Identify who in the business will maintain the final documents. This is a request to understand the actual agreement, not permission to substitute a general checklist for it. If the operational plan changes later, ask whether the document needs a further review.
Clear answers
Questions before you take the next step
Can a lawyer review only the clauses I highlight?
Ask whether a limited review is appropriate and what it excludes. Other parts of the agreement may affect the meaning of the highlighted clause.
Is a marked-up draft the same as a negotiated agreement?
No. Proposed changes still need to be addressed with the other party, and negotiation may be a separate service.
Sources and scope
The linked sources support the official context. Our comparison examples and preparation frameworks are original editorial tools. Examples are illustrative, not reports of client matters.
- business.gov.au — preparing a contract ↗
Contract structure and matters to discuss; this guide’s comparison examples are original. Link and context checked .
General preparation information. No individual legal assessment or professional legal review is claimed. How this content is prepared →