Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” isn’t about the seals that live in the ocean. Although the song is about committing to a romantic relationship, it also sounds like something an attorney might write about a contracting party. Long before people routinely signed their names to legal documents, wealthy landowners, nobles, churches, and other institutions used seals to show that a document was authentic. Stating that a document is signed “under seal” might seem anachronistic, and often that language is ignored. But it shouldn't be. Read our blog to learn how signing under seal can dramatically affect a party's legal rights and obligations and why it usually isn't advisable.
Read MoreSigning a legal document “under seal” can have significant legal consequences. Parties should be sure they understand and intend what it means to sign "under seal" before agreeing to contracts with that language.
Read MoreThe pandemic changed how parties conduct business. Yet, many contracts include execution provisions developed in the 1990s. Read this article to learn how parties should modernized their contract execution provisions.
Read MoreAn advanced musician will read the music by scale and arpeggio patterns that the musician has been practicing for years. People reviewing real estate contracts may act like advanced musicians. They may become so accustomed to certain contract clauses that they may breeze through them, thinking they are "standard boilerplate.” In this article, we will discuss “boilerplate” clauses that describe how a contract is signed and delivered.
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