Sometimes lawyers want to cover every possible angle, and it can bog things down or even scare off partners who aren’t used to that level of detail.
Yeah, I’ve definitely been on both sides of this. I once pushed back hard on an indemnification clause because it looked like overkill and was going to cost us extra legal review hours. Ended up regretting it when a vendor’s mistake landed us in a minor mess—nothing catastrophic, but we had to eat some costs that could’ve been avoided. Now I just ask for the “why” behind the weird stuff before I start slashing. Sometimes it’s just legal CYA, but other times it’s there for a reason you’d never expect.
Now I just ask for the “why” behind the weird stuff before I start slashing.
That’s a solid approach. I’ve learned the hard way too—sometimes those dense legal bits are there because someone got burned before. It can feel like overkill, but I’d rather have a few extra pages than get blindsided later. Still, I get frustrated when it feels like we’re protecting against one-in-a-million scenarios... balance is tricky.
Still, I get frustrated when it feels like we’re protecting against one-in-a-million scenarios... balance is tricky.
I hear you. Sometimes it feels like we’re prepping for a meteor strike rather than a leaky faucet. But I’ve had one “that’ll never happen” situation actually happen, and let’s just say I’m a little less quick to edit those odd clauses now.
Title: When You Think You Know Better Than Your Lawyer
I get where you’re coming from, but sometimes those “one-in-a-million” protections end up being the thing that saves your project—or your wallet. I’ve seen contracts where folks wanted to cut corners on environmental clauses because they seemed overkill. Fast forward a few years, and suddenly a neighbor’s runoff turns your backyard into a swamp. Not fun.
On the flip side, I do think there’s a point where you can go overboard. If every contract is 50 pages of “what ifs,” nobody reads them, and you miss the real risks hiding in the weeds. For me, it’s about finding that sweet spot—cover the basics, add a few guardrails for the weird stuff, but don’t let fear run the show. It’s a balance, like you said... but I’d rather patch a leaky faucet than rebuild after a flood.
I hear you on not wanting to drown in paperwork, but I’ve learned the hard way that those “what ifs” aren’t always as far-fetched as they seem. Had a deal a few years back where we skipped a clause about utility easements—seemed like overkill at the time. Ended up costing us months and a chunk of change when the city decided to dig right through our access road. Sometimes it feels like over-preparing, but I’d rather have a few extra pages than get blindsided down the line. Still, I get not wanting to make things unreadable... there’s got to be a middle ground.