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Conditions in Contract
条件
“If more than 20 talented Chinese young lawyers notify Simon via email that they will attend the seminar on 25 December 2010, then Simon shall deliver a lecture on the topic of Hong Kong initial public offering for that seminar and shall host a Christmas party thereafter.”
约定是对履行义务的承诺； 该等承诺可以指向作为或不作为。
• Remedy alternative to damages: specific performance.
违反约定的救济可以是强制执行。
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Rights
权利 A right is the flip side of a covenant. 权利和约定是对应的。
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Representations
陈述 • Statement of fact
对事实的阐述
• As of a moment in time
具有时效性
• Intended to cause reliance
意在诱发对陈述的信赖 – Justifiable reliance is required for a cause of action
裁量权的条件指一方行使该等权力前 必须发生的事件或存在的事实。
“If Simon delivers a subpar lecture at the
seminar, the attendees may require Simon to sing in public or dance in public.”
• Qualified representations
– Hedged 设限制的陈述：防范性、闪烁其辞
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Covenants
约定 • A covenant is a promise to perform. It can be a promise to do something or a promise not to do something.
• Be careful that courts are prone to interpret “must” to mean “shall.”
注意：法院倾向于将条件解释为约定。
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Discretionary Authority
裁量权 Discretionary authority works in one of two ways:
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Covenants and Rights
约定与权利 Covenants and rights in contract:
约定与权利在合同中的具体体现： “Simon shall give lectures to the talented Chinese young lawyers.” “The talented Chinese young lawyers have a right to have lectures.”
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Discretionary Authority
裁量权
“The talented Chinese young lawyers may request Simon to give a lecture on legal practice or to deliver a speech on career development.” “Simon shall not delegate his obligation of giving lectures, except he may delegate such obligation to Kelvin, provided that Kelvin must have committed to give a lecture on private equity investments.”
– Gives its holder a choice. – Gives its holder permission to act (often when it has been previously denied). 裁量权的作用为下列两者之一：
– 给予裁量权拥有者以选择权 – 允许裁量权拥有者进行某一行为 （通常该行为此前不被许可）
ABCs of Contract Drafting
合同起草基础
Based on training material provided by Committee on Business Law Education Of American Bar Association
基于美国律师协会 下属商业法律教育委员会 提供的培训材料 For educational purpose only
诉由的成立需要合理的信赖
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Warranties
保证 • Technical definition
– A promise that a statement iΒιβλιοθήκη Baidu true 技术层面定义：对陈述真实性的承诺
• Real world definition
– A statement isn’t true + Recipient suffers damages Maker will pay damages 实际意义：
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Conditions and Walk-away Rights
条件 The following are conditions to the Buyer’s obligation to perform:
以下是买方履行义务条件的示例： “The Buyer must have received an opinion from the Seller’s counsel, substantially in the form of Exhibit A” “The Seller must have obtained all the consents listed in Schedule 3.14”
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Conditions
条件 A condition to an obligation is a state of facts that must exist before there is an obligation to perform.
合同有时约定在义务得以履行前必须 有一定的事件发生或一定的事实存在， 条件即指该等事件的发生或该等事实 的存在。
不实陈述 + 接受方损失 = 陈述方需赔偿损失
*There is no reliance component （原告无需证明其对不实陈述有依赖）
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Remedies for Misrepresentations
不实陈述的救济 • Honest or negligent, if material
– Avoidance + Restitutionary Recovery 出于诚实的错误或一般疏忽：
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Measures of Damages for Fraudulent Misrepresentations
欺诈性不实陈述的赔偿方法 • • • • Purported Worth 认定价值 $2500 Paid 实付价款 $1000 Actual Worth 实际价值 $250 Out-of-Pocket 实际损失：
可以寻求赔偿合同利益损失
• No need to prove scienter
原告无需证明被告有主观过错
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Risk Allocation in Representations
陈述的意义：风险分担 • Flat representations
– Unequivocal – Without wiggle room 直白的陈述：明确但无回旋余地
$1000 － $250 = $750
• Benefit of the Bargain 合同利益损失：
$2500 － $250 = $2250
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Remedies for Breaches of Warranties
违反保证的补救
• Damages
– Benefit of the bargain 赔偿合同利益损失
• Others need to be kicked into action (e.g. definitions).
另一些则需由其他合同语言赋予法律意义。
“‘Once’ means 100 times. Simon shall give lectures Once per week.”
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Declarations
声明 A statement of fact as to which both parties agree, but with respect to which neither party has a remedy.
– All definitions – Statements of policy (e.g. some boilerplate provisions) 声明指对双方均认同的事实的阐述， 但任何一方均无法基于声明寻求救济。
Copyright ©2010 Jian Shen
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Two Topics
两个话题
• Elements of Contract
合同的组成元素
• Avoid Ambiguity
避免歧义
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Elements of Contract
合同的组成元素
Credits to Professor Tina L. Stark at Emory University School of Law
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Conditions to Discretionary Authority
裁量权的条件 A condition to discretionary authority is a state of facts that must exist before a party may exercise discretionary authority.
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Remedies for Failure of a Condition
条件未实现的救济 • The remedy for failure of a condition to occur is the conditioned performance is not due.
条件未实现的后果是相关义务人不必 履行基于该条件的约定义务。
“If Simon is obligated to give lectures to the talented Chinese young lawyers, the talented Chinese young lawyers have a right to Simon’s performance.”
– 所有的定义词语 – 政策阐述（如某些标准格式条款）
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Declarations (cont’d)
声明 • Some have legal effect on their own.
有些声明本身即具有法律意义。
“If Simon delegates his obligation of giving lectures, such delegation is void.”
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Why Receive Both Representations and Warranties
为何陈述之外还要保证 • No Reliance component
原告无需证明其对不实陈述有依赖
• Additional cause of action
侵权法诉由外增加合同法诉由
• Benefit of the bargain damages
取消合同 + 由不实陈述方退还所得利益
• Fraud 不实陈述构成欺诈
– Avoidance + Restitutionary Recovery – Or damages 或由不实陈述方赔偿损失：
• • • Out-of-pocket 实际损失 Benefit of the bargain 合同利益损失 Punitive 惩罚性赔偿