美国资深律师经验：二十一世纪写好合同的五十招（英汉对照）
请注意：本文仅供非商业用途的学习参考之用，请勿转载，使用请尊重作者和译
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FIFTY TIPS FOR WRITING THE 21ST CENTURY CONTRACT THAT STAYS
OUT OF COURT
二十一世纪写好合同的五十招
作者：James.Martin
译者：胡清平
Published in The Florida Bar Journal, Nov. 2000
（本文于2000 年11 月发表于美国佛罗里达州的律师杂志上）
Note: This article is for background purposes only and is not intended as legal
advice.
作者注：本文仅供参考，并不旨在提供法律意见
译者注：翻译本文并未得到原作者同意，故译文仅供学习和研究使用，未经允许，
不得转载
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the 21st Century. Where practicing law requires us to don the
garb of computers and the Internet. And where litigation is as costly as ever.
Lawyer bills running $10,000 a month are not unusual in a hotly contested
breach of contract lawsuit. With every word, phrase and sentence carrying the
potential for winning or losing, the stakes are high. Simple logic, therefore,
directs us to cautious and thoughtful drafting.
新世纪的到来，要求我们在法律实践中应该多用电脑和互联网，不过，诉讼成本
还是那么地高，面对日益竞争激烈的违约诉讼，律师每月开出1 万美元的账单也
是常有的事。合同中的每一个字，每一个词，每一句话，都意味着潜在的输或赢，
换句话说，押在这上面下的赌注也很大，所以，在起草合同时要把握两条原则：
小心谨慎和深思熟虑。
Drafting contracts is actually one of the simple pleasures of practicing law.
Just 3 years ago at this Convention I presented 50 tips for contract writing.
This article updates those tips in the context of our new tools and abilities.
Following these tips could result in your writing a contract so clear no one will
want to litigate it, saving your client from the trials and tribulations of litigation,
truly a good reason to write the contract that stays out of court.

然而，起草合同的确又是法律实践中一件有意思的事儿。大约三年前，也是在这
样一个会议上，我提出了合同起草的50 招。本文在那些招数的基础上，结合一
些新的工具和技能，推出了下面这个新版本,但愿它们能帮助你起草无可挑剔的
合同，让你的客户免受诉讼的困扰。
These tips apply to writing all kinds of agreements: office leases, real estate
contracts, sales agreements, employment contracts, equipment leases
prenuptial agreements. They even apply to stipulations and settlements in
litigation, where you want an agreement so clear that it avoids future litigation.
Wherever clarity and simplicity are important, these tips will guide you there.
The Appendix provides a few sample forms to illustrate these tips.
这些招数适用于各种合同，比如，办公租赁合同、不动产合同、买卖合同、劳动
合同、设备租赁合同、婚前协议。同样，如果你不想让你在诉讼中所起草的和解
条款与协议再起争议的话，也可以参考一下这些招数。另外，通过了解这些招数，
你就会明白，起草合同，清晰、简明是多么地重要。本文的附录提供了一些简单
的法律文书范本-----这将有助于你理解这些招数。
Before You Write the First Word
第一部分：在动笔之前
1. Ask your client to list the deal points. This can be in the form of a list, outline
or narration. Doing this will help the client focus on the terms of the
agreement.
1.要求你的客户列出合同交易的要点，也可以说是合同的清单、目录或概述。这
一招首先帮助你的客户弄清合同的重点所在。
2. Engage your client in "what if" scenarios. A good contract will anticipate
many possible factual situations and express the parties' understanding in
case those facts arise. Talking to your client about this will generate many
issues you may not otherwise consider.
2.让你的客户提供一些假设可能发生的情况。好的合同不仅能够预见到许多可能
发生的情况，而且还能清楚地描述出发生这些情况后合同双方的立场。和客户聊
这些情况将有助于你发现一些你可能没有考虑到的问题。
3. Ask your client for a similar contract. Frequently, clients have had similar
transactions in the past or they have access to contracts for similar
transactions.
3.请求你的客户提供类似的合同。通常情况下，客户都保留着过去的交易记录或
者是类似合同。

office computer or the Internet for a similar form. Many times
you can find a similar form on your computer. It may be one you prepared for
another client or one you negotiated with another lawyer. Just remember to
find and replace the old client's name. Starting with an existing form saves
time and avoids the errors of typing. Here are some Web sites where you can
find forms:
http://www.flcourts.org/
http://www.flabarrpptl.org/library.html
http://www.gate.net/~wyman/flo.html
http://www.westgroup.com
http://www.lexis.com/
4.在办公室的电脑中或是在因特网上搜索类似的合同范本。通常你会在你的电脑
上找到你想要的东西，这些类似的合同范本要么是你给其他客户准备的，要么是
你和其他的律师共同协商起草的。使用这些旧合同可以为你节省时间和避免打印
错误，不过，用这些合同范本时别忘了替换掉老客户的名字。下面是些有关合同
范本的网址，供参考：
http://www.flcourts.org/
http://www.flabarrpptl.org/library.html
http://www.gate.net/~wyman/flo.html
http://www.westgroup.com
5. Obtain forms in books or CD-ROM. Typical forms of contracts can be found
in form books, such as West's Legal Forms (a nationwide set) and Florida Jur
Forms, as well as in treatises and Florida Bar CLE publications. These can be
used as the starting point for drafting the contract or as checklists of typical
provisions and wording to include in the contract. Many treatises and form
books now come with forms on disk or CD-ROM.
5.从书中或者是光盘上获取合同范本。典型的合同范本在一些范例书中都可能找
到：比如,西方法律文书（全国版）佛罗里达州文书期刊，另外，在有些论文和
佛罗里达州律师协会的法律继续教育出版物中也可以找到一些。起草合同时，你
可以把这些范本当做原始资料，利用其中某些典型的条款和措词。更为方便的是，
许多论文和书中的合同范本都有电子文本储存在磁盘或光盘中。
6. Don't let your client sign a letter of intent without this wording. Sometimes
clients are anxious to sign something to show good faith before the contract is
prepared. A properly worded letter of intent is useful at such times. Just be
sure that the letter of intent clearly states that it is not a contract, but that it is
merely an outline of possible terms for discussion purposes. See Appendix C.
6.如果没有特别申明，不要让你的客户在意向书上签字。有时候，在合同未准备
好之前，客户为了表示诚意，往往急于签署某些东西，当然，在这种情况下，如果客户急于签署的是有特别申明的意向书，这也是可以的，但一定要注明：本意
向书并非合同，只是双方为了更好地沟通协商，而拟定的对未来条款的概述。类
似意向书的范例见附录C。
Writing that First Word
第二部分：开始起草合同
7. Start with a simple, generic contract form. The form in Appendix A is such a
form. It provides a solid starting point for the structure of the contract. Like a
house, a contract must have a good, solid foundation.
7.从简单、典型的合同入手。附录A 就是一个简单、典型的合同，它提供了一个
合同的基本支架。像房子一样，一个合同必须有一个牢固的根基。
8. State the correct legal names of the parties in the first paragraph. As
obvious as this is, it is one of the most common problems in contracts. For
individuals, include full first and last name, and middle initials if available, and
other identifying information, if appropriate, such as Jr., M.D., etc. For
corporations, check with the Secretary of State where incorporated.
8.在合同的第一段要写清楚双方的名称。，这是个简单而又不得不引起重视的问
题。如果是个人，要写清姓和名,中间有大写字母和其他身份信息的，也要注明，
例如：jr.,M.D,等等；如果是公司，为避免弄错，写名称时可以到公司注册地的
相应机构去核对一下。
9. Identify the parties by nicknames. Giving each party a nickname in the first
paragraph will make the contract easier to read. For example, James W.
Martin would be nicknamed "Martin."
9.确定合同双方的别称（简称）。为便于阅读，一般要在合同的第一段为双方弄
一个别称，如：将詹姆士.马丁简写为"马丁"。
10. Be careful when using legal terms for nicknames. Do not use "Contractor"
as a nickname unless that party is legally a contractor. Do not use "Agent"
unless you intend for that party to be an agent, and if you do, then you better
specify the scope of authority and other agency issues to avoid future
disagreements.
10.使用法定术语作为双方当事人的别称时，要小心。除非一方当事人在法定上
就是承包人，否则不要将"承包人"作为其别称。同样，除非你想让一方当事人成
为法定上的代理人，否则不要称其为"代理人"，如果坚持要用，最好明确一下代
理范围并找到其他可以避免将来争执的方案。
11. Include a blank for the date in the first paragraph. Putting the date in themakes it easy to find after the contract is signed. It also makes
it easy to describe the contract in other documents in a precise way, such as
the "December 20, 2000, Contract for Sale of Real Estate."
11.在合同的第一段要为书写签约时间留下空格。把签约时间放在第一段，当合
同签署后，你就能够很容易地找到它，而且，这样做还可以给你在其他相关文件
中准确地描述这个合同提供帮助，范例如：不动产买卖合同，订立于2000 年12
月20 日
12. Include to provide background. Recitals are the "whereas" clauses that
precede the body of a contract. They provide a simple way to bring the
contract's reader (party, judge or jury) up to speed on what the contract is
about, who the parties are, why they are signing a contract, etc. The first
paragraph in the body of the contract can incorporate the recitals by reference
and state that they are true and correct. This will avoid a later argument as to
whether or not the recitals are a legally binding part of the contract.
12.书写引述语。引述语是指那些放在合同主体前面的"鉴于"条款。书写此类条款
的目的是为了让读者（通常指合同双方，法官，陪审团）很快地了解到合同的主
要内容是什么，合同双方是谁，以及他们为什么签订合同，等等。当然，合同主
体的第一段也可以加上引述语并陈述其是真实准确的，如果这样做了，合同双方
将来就不会争执：引述语作为合同的一部分是否具有法律效力？
13. Outline the contract by writing out and underlining paragraph headings in
their logical order. The paragraphs should flow in logical, organized fashion. It
is not necessary to write them all at once; you can write them as you think of
them. Try to group related concepts in the same paragraphs or in adjacent
paragraphs. For example, write an employment contract's initial paragraph
headings like this:
Recitals.
Employment.
Duties.
Term.
Compensation.
13.按逻辑顺序列出合同段落的标题词.合同的段落是按一定的逻辑顺序组织起
来的，当然，你并不需要一下子列出所有段落的标题词，想到多少就写多少，不
过，这些标题词要力求总结出每个段落或相关段落的内容。比如：撰写劳动合同
时列出的标题词就像下面这些：
引述语
聘用
职责
期限
赔偿

14. Complete each paragraph by writing the contract terms that apply to that
paragraph. This is simple. You learned this in elementary school. Just explain
in words what the parties agree to do or not do paragraph by paragraph.
14.在撰写每一段时要注意内容集中，不要东拉西扯，是的，这很简单，你可能
上小学时就学过，但我还是要提醒你，要集中火力，一段一段地分别说明合同双
方同意做什么，不同意做什么。
15. Keep a pad at hand to remember clauses to add. It is normal to think of
additional clauses, wording and issues while writing a contract. Jot these
down on a pad as you write; they are easily forgotten. Also keep your client's
outline and other forms in front of you as you write, and check off items as you
write them.
15.放一个便笺簿在手边，以便记下需要添加的条款。在书写合同的同时，你可
能随时会想到一些需要添加条款、措词和问题，要尽快记在便笺簿上，因为他们
太容易忘了。另外，你最好将客户列出的要点和一些类似的合同范本也放在眼前，
以便在书写过程中随时查对。
16. Repeat yourself only when repetition is necessary to improve clarity.
Ambiguity is created by saying the same thing more than once; it is almost
impossible to say it twice without creating ambiguity. Only if the concept is a
difficult one should you write it in more than one way. In addition, if you use an
example to clarify a difficult concept or formula, be sure that all possible
meanings are considered and that the example is accurate and consistent
with the concept as worded.
16.除非是为了更清晰地说明问题，否则不要在合同中重复陈述某个内容。将一
个事实来回地说很容易让人模棱两可。如果你将一个概念重复地解释，那理解起
来就更有困难。另外，如果你想通过一个例子来阐明一个难以理解的概念或规则
时，一定要考虑到其所有的含义、这个例子的准确性以及它和概念的相符性。
What to Watch Out for When Writing
第三部分：撰写时的注意事项
17. Title it "Contract." Do not leave this one to chance. If your client wants a
contract, call it a contract. A judge now sitting on the federal bench once ruled
that a document entitled "Proposal" was not a contract even though signed by
both parties. The lesson learned is, "Say what you mean." If you intend the
document to be a legally binding contract, use the word "Contract" in the title.
17.标题上注明"合同"两字。不要为碰运气而忽略这个。如果你的客户需要合同，就要注明是合同。一个仍在联邦法院里任职的法官就曾经裁定：有双方签字，但
标有"建议书"的文件并非合同。这给我们的教训就是，你怎么想，就应该怎么说。
如果你想让你的文件成为具有法律效力的合同，就要在标题中注明"合同"字样。
18. Write in short sentences. Short sentences are easier to understand than
long ones.
18.写短句子，因为短句子比长句子让人更容易理解。
19. Write in active tense, rather than passive. Active tense sentences are
shorter and use words more efficiently, and their meaning is more apparent.
Example of active: "Sellers shall sell the Property to Buyer." Example of
passive: "The Property shall be sold to Buyer by Seller."
19.用主动语态而不用被动语态。相对而言，主动语态的句子更简短，措词更精
练，表达更明白。还是让我们来来看一个例子吧，主动语态的句子：卖方将把此
物卖给买方;被动语态的句子：此物将被卖方卖给买方。
20. Don't use the word "biweekly." It has two meanings: twice a week and
every other week. The same applies to "bimonthly." Instead, write "every other
week" or "twice a week."
20.不要用“双周”之类的词，因为这有可能产生歧义----是两周还是每隔一周？
类似的词还有"双月",所以最好这样写:"两周"或"每隔一周"。
21. Don't say things like "active termites and organisms". Avoid ambiguity by
writing either "active termites and active organisms" or "organisms and active
termites." When adding a modifier like "active" before a compound of nouns
like "termites and organisms", be sure to clarify whether you intend the
modifier to apply to both nouns or just the first one. If you intend it to apply to
both, use parallel construction and write the modifier in front of each noun. If
you intend it to apply to just one noun, place that one noun at the end of the
list and the modifier directly in front of it.
21.不要说"活动着的白蚁和有机体"之类的话，为了避免模棱两可，最好这样写：
“活动着的白蚁和活动着的有机体”或是“白蚁和活动着的有机体”。当一组名
词（如"白蚁和有机体"）前有一个修饰语（如"活动着的"）时，你一定要弄清楚
这个修饰语是修饰两个名词还是仅仅修饰第一个名词。如果是修饰两个词，可以
用排比的手法分别在这两个词之前加上修饰语，如果你只想修饰一个名词，那么
你就应该把这个词放在这组词的最后，然后在它的前面加上修饰语。
22. Don't say "Lessor" and "Lessee." These are bad nicknames for a lease
because they are easily reversed or mistyped. Use "Landlord" and "Tenant"
instead. The same applies to lienor and lienee, mortgagor and mortgagee,grantor and grantee, licensor and licensee, party A and party B. This is where
you can use your creativity to come up with a different nickname for a party,
as long as you use it consistently throughout the contract.
22.不要说“出租人”和“承租人”。这对一个租赁合同来说是些不好的别称，因
为他们容易被颠倒或者出现打印错误。可以用“房东”和“房客”来代替他们。
同样，在合同中也不要说留置权人和留置人，抵押权人和抵押人，保证人和被保
证人，许可人和被许可人，当事人A 和当事人B......到底怎么说，这就要看你驾
驭语言的能力了，不过，要把握的一条原则，即在整个合同中，对合同一方只能
用一个别称。
23. Watch out when using "herein." Does "wherever used herein" mean
anywhere in the contract or anywhere in the paragraph? Clarify this ambiguity
if it matters.
23.使用术语“本文（herein，也可译为”“在这里”）时要当心。为了避免含糊
不清，使用“本文”时最好特别申明一下“本文”是指整个合同，还是指其所在
的某一段落。
24. Write numbers as both words and numerals: ten (10). This will reduce the
chance for errors.
24.写数目时要文字和阿拉伯数字并用，如：拾（10）。这将减少一些不经意的错
误。
25. When you write "including" consider adding "but not limited to." Unless
you intend the list to be all-inclusive, you had better clarify your intent that it is
merely an example.
25.如果你想用"包括"这个词，就要考虑在其后加上"但不限于....."的分句。除非
你能够列出所有被包括的项，否则最好用"但不限于...."的分句，来说明你只是想
举个例子。
26. Don't rely on the rules of grammar. The rules of grammar that you learned
in school are not universal. The judge or jury interpreting the meaning of your
contract may have learned different rules. Write the contract so that no matter
what rules they learned, the contract is clear and unambiguous. Follow this
test for clear writing: Remove all periods and commas, then read it. Choosing
the right words and placing them in the right place makes the writing clear
without punctuation.
26.不要依赖于语法规则。那些你在学校里得到的语法规则并不是放之四海而皆
准的东西，因为有权力来解释此合同的法官或陪审团成员学的语法规则可能和你
学的不一样，但不管学的是什么规则，撰写合同都要遵循一个基本原则：简洁、明确。检测你写的东西是否达到这个要求有个好办法，那就是去掉所有的句号和
逗号，然后去读它。在没有标点符号的情况下，选择正确的词语放在正确的位置
上，这将使你写出来的东西更简明，更流畅。
27. Don't be creative with words. Contract writing is not creative writing and is
not meant to provoke reflective thoughts or controversies about nuances of
meaning. Contract writing is clear, direct and precise. Therefore, use common
words and common meanings. Write for the common man and the common
woman.
27.不要创造词语。合同文书不是创造性的作品，也就不能因为意思的细微差别
而引起思考或争论。合同文书应该是清晰、直接而准确的。因此，要使用普通的
词语,表达普通的意思，为普通人撰写合同。
28. Be consistent in using words. If you refer to the subject matter of a sales
contract as "goods" use that term throughout the contract; do not alternately
call them "goods" and "items." Maintaining consistency is more important than
avoiding repetition. Don't worry about putting the reader to sleep; worry about
the opposing lawyer a year from now hunting for ambiguities to get your
contract into court.
28.用词一致。在一份销售合同中，如果你想用“货物”来指整个合同的标的物，
就不要时而称它们为“货物”，时而又改称它们为“产品”。保持用词一致性比避
免重复更加重要。不要担心这会让读者打瞌睡；你应该提防的是对方律师会因为
含糊不清的合同而将你告上法庭。
29. Be consistent in grammar and punctuation. The rules of grammar and
punctuation you learned may differ from others, but you had better be
consistent in your use of them. Be aware of such things as where you put
ending quote marks, whether you place commas after years and states, and
similar variations in style.
29.在文法和标点符号上保持一致。你可能学过许多不同类的文法和标点符号规
则，但在使用它们时最好保持一致。要特别注意句末的引号、时间和地点之后的
逗号以及文风的相似性。
30. Consider including choice of law, venue selection, and attorneys fee
clauses. If your contract gets litigated, you might as well give your client some
"ammunition" for the fight. Examples of these clauses appear in Appendices A
and C.
30.可以在合同中加入准据法、审判地、律师费等条款。有了这些条款，一旦合
同引起诉讼，你就已经为了你的客户打这场诉讼战准备了一些“弹药”。类似的
条款见附录A 和B。Jury
第四部分：要为法官和陪审团考虑
31. Assume the reader is a knowledgeable layman. If your writing is so clear
that a layman could understand it, then it is less likely it will end up in court.
31.要假设合同的读者是一个受过教育的外行,如果你书写的合同简明得连一个
外行都能理解，那么即使到了法庭上,,你也不用害怕。
32. Define a word by capitalizing it and putting it in quotes. Capitalizing a word
indicates that you intend it to have a special meaning. The following are two
sample clauses for defining terms:
Wherever used in this contract, the word "Goods" shall mean the goods that
Buyer has agreed to purchase from Seller under this contract.Buyer hereby
agrees to purchase from Seller ten (10) frying pans, hereinafter called the
"Goods."
32.强调一个合同术语可以这样做：加上双引号并将其开头的字母大写。将一个
词语的开头字母大写表明你想让它有一个特别的意思。下面有两个定义术语的例
子：
一.本合同中使用的“货物”("Goods")是指买方已经同意向卖方购买的货物;
二.本合同中买方同意向卖方购买的拾（10）只平底锅，即下文中的“货物”
("Goods")。
33. Define words when first used. Instead of writing a section of definitions at
the beginning or end of a contract, consider defining terms and concepts as
they first appear in the contract. This will make it easier for the reader to
follow.
33.第一次使用某个术语时就要下定义。定义合同术语不是在合同的开头，也不
是在合同的结尾，而是在这个术语第一次出现的时候，这样做，有利于读者更好
地理解合同。
34. Explain technical terms and concepts. Remember that the parties might
understand technical jargon, but the judge and jury who interpret and apply
the contract do not. Therefore, explain the contract's terms and concepts
within the contract itself. Let the contract speak for itself from within its four
corners.
34.勤于解释合同中的术语和概念。要记住合同双方的当事人可能会理解合同中
某些专用术语，但法官和陪审团却可能一无所知。所以撰写合同时要让合同自己
为自己释义。Keep Your Client Informed While You Write
第五部分：书写时要常和你的客户沟通
35. All contracts should come with a cover letter. This gives you a place to
instruct your client on how to use and sign the contract.
35.所有的合同都应该有一封说明书---用来告诉你的客户如何使用和签署合同。
36. Tell your client the ideas that come as you write. Many ideas will occur to
you as you write: things that could go wrong with the deal, things that might
happen in the future, things that happened in the past, ways to structure
things better. Write these in your letter to the client.
36.告诉客户你在撰写过程中的一些想法。比如：哪些事情可能会随着交易变得
很遭，哪些事可能会在将来发生，哪些事情已经发生了，哪些可以让事情朝好的
方向发展的方法.....你最好在给客户的说明书中都将这些都写上。
。
37. Inform your client of the risks. Writing a letter to the client as you write the
contract is the perfect way to inform the client of the risks and rewards of
entering into the contract. Frequently, problems do not become apparent until
time is spent trying to word a contract.
37.告诉客户合同的风险所在。在撰写合同时，你最好向客户说订立合同需要承
担的风险和能够得到的利益。通常情况下，只要你花时间来起草合同，你就会发
现真正的风险在哪里。
What to Do After the First Draft Is Written
第六部分：完成初稿后做什么
38. Check spelling, paragraph numbering, and cross references both
manually and with your word processor's spelling and grammar checker. This
almost goes without saying today, especially since Microsoft Word now
checks your spelling and grammar as you type. (Unfortunately it also changes
"per stirpes" to "per stupid" if you fail to watch it closely.) And now there are
even computer programs that check contract documents for undefined terms.
DealProof is packaged with Corel WordPerfect for law offices, and
DocProofReader is available for download for MS Word 97 and 2000.
38.核实合同的拼写情况、段落序号以及上下文的注解，你可以自己手动来做，
也可以用文字编辑软件中的拼写和语法检查功能来完成，特别是自从有了微软的
word 软件后，做这样的工作你似乎不要费多少精力（但机器有时也不可靠，如
果你不看仔细，它就会把"per stirpes"改变为 "per stupid"）。现在，这类专业的
软件甚至可以帮你检测到合同中没有释义的术语，如：Corel 公司专门为法律办公开发的文字处理软件包中的DealProof 软件，还有可供word97 和word2000
下载安装的DocProofReader 软件。
39. Let your secretary or paralegal read it. Not only will your staff frequently
find spelling and grammar errors missed by your word processor's spell
checker, but they will find inconsistencies and confusing areas that you
missed when drafting.
39.让你的秘书或者助手阅读你草拟的合同。你的同事不仅能通过文字处理软件
来帮你检查到你没有查到的拼写和语法错误，而且他们还能发现你起草时没有察
觉到的矛盾和混淆之处。
40. Stamp "Draft #1 6/22/2000" on it. This may be the first of many drafts, so
avoid confusion early by numbering and dating all drafts at the top of the first
page. It is also a good idea to write "DRAFT" across the face of each page to
preclude the possibility of an impatient client signing a draft rather than waiting
for the final version.
40.在合同上注明“第一稿于200 年6 月22 日”,第一稿完成后，可能还要草拟
几个版本，为了避免他们之间相互混淆，最好在每份草稿首页的顶部注上序号和
起草时间。另外，在每一个版本的封面上注明“草稿”字样，也能够避免你那急
躁的客户不等到最后的定稿文本就急于签字。
41. Let your client read it. Letting the client in on reading the first draft assures
that your drafting will stay in tune with the client's wishes.
41 让你的客户读你草拟的合同。你的客户读第一稿，可以确保你的起草的东西
和客户的愿望相符。
42. Save the drafts as multiple files on your computer. If you save the first
draft on your computer as two files, you will have one file identified as the first
draft and the other identified as the current version. This can be done by
naming the current version "contract" and the first draft as "contract.d1." Then,
subsequent versions can be named "contract.d2", "contract.d3," etc., where
the "d" in the extension indicates draft. (Of course, if you're not using
WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS, as I do, you can use long file names to show the
contract name, draft number and draft date, such as "Contract Smith Jones
draft 2 datd 6 22 2000.")
42.在电脑中将草拟的合同多保存几个复件。如果你将第一稿合同存了两份在电
脑中，那么其中的一份可以用来存档，另一份则可以用来继续修改。用来存档的
文件可以命名为"合同.草1"。用来修改的文件可以命名为"合同"。以此类推，以
后修改的版本就命名为"合同.草2"，"合同.草3"，等等。带"草"字的扩展名表示
此合同是草拟版本。（当然，你可能不经常用DOS 下的WordPerfect 5.1 软件，
我是经常用的，你也可以用一个较长的文件名来清楚地表达出草拟合同的名称、及起草时间，范例如："史密斯.琼斯于2000 年6 月22 日草拟的第二版合同
"。）
43. Compare the current version to prior versions. If you save draft versions, it
is very easy to compare one version to another using the word processor's
compare feature or using the CompareRite computer program. When you
compare "contract.d1" to "contract.d2", save the comparison as "contract.c21"
and print it to show the client what changes were made.
43.将当前的草拟版本和以前的版本进行比较。如果你存了很多合同的草拟版本，
那么你就可以很容易地用文字处理软件或者是CompareRite 软件来比较分析两
个合同版本。当你用软件比较"合同.草1"和"合同.草2"两个版本时，最好将软件
的分析结果打印出来送给客户看，让他知道变化在哪里。
How to Print and Sign the Final Draft
第七部分：怎样打印和签署最后的定稿合同。
44. Print the contract on 24 pound bond paper instead of 20 pound copier
paper. Using a heavy bond paper will make it easy to tell the original contract
from copies. It will also last longer.
44.用24 磅的铜板纸而不是用20 磅的复印纸来打印合同。用厚一点的纸不仅复
印副本很容易，而且，它被保存的时间也要长一些。
45. Print on pages using the same paper, and if pages are changed, reprint
the document using the same paper. This will avoid an argument that pages
were substituted after the contract was signed.
45.打印整个合同要用同样的纸，如果打印过程中纸发生了改变，一定要用同样
的纸再打印一次。这样做，对方就不会说合同在签署后被偷换了。
46. Sign the contract in blue ink, not black ink. This, too, will make it easier to
differentiate the signed original contract from photocopies.
46. 最好用蓝墨水而不是用黑墨水来签署合同，因为蓝墨水可以很容易地让人区
别出哪个是合同正本，哪个是影印副本。
47. Initial every page of the contract. Having each party initial each page of
the contract will make it less likely that anyone could claim a page was
changed after the contract was signed.
47.让双方在每页合同上签字，这样做可以避免有人怀疑合同签署后被更改过。
48. Identify the parties and witnesses who sign by providing blank lines belowthe witnesses if the contract is contested. And remember to
include two witnesses for commercial leases.
48.在合同签名栏的下方留下一些空白行，以便合同双方和见证人填写他们的名
字和地址。这样，一旦合同引起纠纷，就能很容易地找到证人。要记住，一般的
商业租赁需要两个见证人。
49. Be sure that corporate officers include their titles, the corporation name
and the word "as." Failure to do this can result in personal liability of the officer.
The proper way to sign in a representative capacity is as follows:
ABC Corporation, a Florida corporation
By:____________________________________
John Jones, as its President
49.签名者如果是公司官员，一定要写上他们的职务和其所在公司的名称。不这
样做就可能导致这个官员个人承担责任。签约代表签名的正确方法如下：
ABC 公司，佛罗里州分公司
签约代表：________________
公司总裁：史密斯.琼斯
50. Add a notary clause that complies with the notary law. The notary
acknowledgement in Appendix B is such a clause.
50.根据公证法增加公证条款，类似的范例见附录B
Concluding Advice
最后的忠告
If these 50 tips don't keep your contracts out of court, try mastering Strunk &
White's Elements of Style*. I hear it's real handy in appellate work.
如果这50 招都不能让你起草的合同免于诉讼，那你就去掌握斯创得.怀特先生的
《设计原理》吧，我听说它对应付上诉非常有帮助。
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
译者注：附录部分未译成文，有兴趣的朋友可以自己翻译，有问题，可以来信一
起讨论：lawdoor@163.net
Appendix A (Basic Form of Contract)AGREEMENT made this _______ day of ____________, 20_____, between
______________________, hereinafter called "_______________", and
______________________, hereinafter called "_____________".
WHEREAS, ________________;
WHEREAS, ________________; and
WHEREAS, ________________;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises made herein,
and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby
acknowledged by each party, the parties, intending to be legally bound,
hereby agree as follows:
1. Recitals. The parties agree that the foregoing recitals are true and correct
and incorporated herein by this reference.
2. __________________.
___. Miscellaneous. Time is of the essence of this agreement. This agreement
is made in the State of Florida and shall be governed by Florida law. This is
the entire agreement between the parties and may not be modified or
amended except by a written document signed by the party against whom
enforcement is sought. This agreement may be signed in more than one
counterpart, in which case each counterpart shall constitute an original of this
agreement. Paragraph headings are for convenience only and are not
intended to expand or restrict the scope or substance of the provisions of this
agreement. Wherever used herein, the singular shall include the plural, the
plural shall include the singular, and pronouns shall be read as masculine,
feminine or neuter as the context requires. The prevailing party in any
litigation, arbitration or mediation relating to this agreement shall be entitled to
recover its reasonable attorneys fees from the other party for all matters,
including but not limited to appeals. Pinellas County, Florida, shall be proper
venue for any litigation involving this agreement. This agreement may not be
assigned or delegated by either party without the prior written consent of the
other party.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have signed this agreement as of the
day and year first above written.
____________________________ ________________________(Seal)
____________________________
Witnesses
____________________________ ________________________(Seal)____________________________
Witnesses
Appendix B (Basic Form of Notary Acknowledgement)
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF ____________
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this _____ day of
__________________, 20____, by _________.
Notary Public-State of Florida:
sign_________________________________
print________________________________
Personally Known _____; OR Produced Identification ______
Type of Identification Produced: ____________________________
Affix Seal Below:
Appendix C (Sample Letter of Intent Form)
LETTER OF INTENT FOR POSSIBLE
CONTRACT FOR SALE OF ASSETS
Possible Seller: _____________________________
Possible Buyer: _____________________________
Business: _____________________________
Date: ______________, 20_____
This is a non-binding letter of intent that contains provisions that are being
discussed for a possible sale of the Business named above from the possible
Seller named above to the possible Buyer named above. This is not a
contract. This is not a legally binding agreement. This is merely an outline of
possible contract terms for discussion purposes only. This is being signed inthe Possible Buyer to apply for financing of the purchase price.
This letter of intent is confidential and shall not be disclosed to anyone other
than the parties and their employees, attorneys and accountants and the
possible lenders of the Possible Buyer. The terms of the transaction being
discussed are attached hereto, but the terms (and the possible sale itself) are
not binding unless and until they are set forth in a written contract signed by
Possible Seller and Possible Buyer. The word "shall" is used in the attached
terms only as an example of how a contract might read, and it does not mean
that the attached terms are or ever will be legally binding.
____________________________ ________________________
____________________________
Witnesses
____________________________ ________________________
____________________________
Witnesses
Appendix D (Sample Hourly Attorney's Fee Agreement for Probate)
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ______________ COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NUMBER _________
IN RE: ESTATE OF
______________________,
DECEASED.
______________________________________/
ATTORNEY'S HOURLY FEE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made between the following persons:
Personal Representative: _____________________________Attorney: _____________________________
Residuary Beneficiaries: _____________________________
Whereas, Attorney is about to undertake the performance of substantial legal
services on behalf of the Personal Representative, for which Attorney shall be
paid fees and costs, and the Florida Bar's Rules of Professional Conduct
encourage attorneys and clients to enter into fee agreements at the
commencement of representation in order to avoid the possibility of
misunderstandings, and the Florida Probate Code requires that attorney fee
agreements be signed by the Personal Representative and by the persons
bearing the impact of the fees;
Now therefore, in consideration of their mutual promises stated herein, the
parties hereby agree that:
1. Hourly Rates. The Personal Representative has retained Attorney to
provide legal services to the Personal Representative for administration of the
above probate estate in Florida at hourly rates of $_____ for attorney time and
$_____ for paralegal time for all matters handled, including but not limited to
ordinary services and extraordinary services.
2. Limitation on Fees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Attorney agrees not to
bill fees for ordinary services of Attorney that would exceed the percentage
fees provided for in Florida Statutes Section 733.6171.
3. Monthly Bills. Fees shall be billed by Attorney and paid by the Personal
Representative out of the assets of the Estate on a monthly basis. Costs
incurred for copies, postage, long distance, fax, FedEx, filing fees, and other
items shall also be billed and paid at least monthly.
4. No Statutory Percentage Fees. The parties agree that the provisions of this
Fee Agreement replace the provisions of the applicable statutes and case law
and that Attorney will not charge fees based upon a percentage of the assets
or income of the probate estate. (Florida Statutes Section 733.6171 provides
that the following is presumed to be reasonable compensation for ordinary
services by the attorney for the Personal Representative: $1,500 for the first
$40,000 plus $750 for the next $30,000 plus $750 for the next $30,000 plus
3% of the rest of the inventory value and income of the probate estate for
ordinary services. The statute also provides that the attorney, personal
representative and persons bearing the impact of the compensation may
agree to compensation determined in a different manner. The statute also
provides that attorneys are entitled to additional compensation for
extraordinary services, such as real estate, adversary proceedings,homestead, tax matters, business, etc.)
5. Fee Proceedings. If the matter of fees and costs is submitted to the Court
for review or determination at any time, fees and costs shall be billed by and
paid to Attorney for such fee proceeding on the same basis as other fees
under this Agreement; i.e., billed and paid at least monthly. In addition,
attorneys testifying as expert witnesses on the matter of fees shall be entitled
to fees at their usual hourly rates, which shall be paid out of the estate.
6. Joint Representation. The parties agree that Attorney represents
________________ in his or her capacity as Personal Representative of the
Estate and also in his or her capacity as Successor Trustee of THE
______________ TRUST. The parties understand the potential conflict of
interest arising from representation of multiple parties in multiple roles. They
understand that if a conflict should ever develop between the multiple clients
concerning the Estate or Trust, then Attorney would not be able to represent
either of the clients in that conflict. The Personal Representative, Trustee and
residuary beneficiaries are encouraged to engage his or her own separate
lawyer before signing this agreement if they desire legal advice concerning
this Fee Agreement or concerning any other aspect of the probate estate or
Trust.
Under penalties of perjury, we declare that we have read the foregoing, and
the facts alleged are true, to the best of our knowledge and belief.
Attorney:
______________________________ Date:_________, 20____
Personal Representative:
______________________________ Date:_________, 20____
Residuary Beneficiary:
______________________________ Date:__________, 20____