Our mentors and page authors are not necessarily lawyers. Even when they are, this page is not legal advice and they are not creating a lawyer-client relationship. You should consult a professional if possible and they can tell you whether this advice applies to your situation.
The main point of contract law is that what the parties agreed on goes. There are a lot of exceptions that you'd learn about in law school. You mostly don't care about those. A contract is just an enforceable deal, "I'm required to give you X for Y." That's all.
The contract is the agreement, not the document.
That piece of paper that says “contract” at the top? That’s just a record of what the agreement was. Usually there’ll be a clause saying “this document contains the entire agreement,” so that both parties know it’s an accurate record. But if you sign something and simultaneously say “we also talked about X in exchange for Y and I didn’t see those in there,” you do have a contract for both parts.
(Lawyers are now screaming at me about the parol evidence rule. This is one of those law school exceptions you mostly don’t care about. It might mean it’s very hard to prove there was more to the contract, but you weren’t planning on going to court.)
Or you could email someone a signed document, but give the same email a paragraph saying “hey, what does this part mean; I think it was ___.” If that happens and they don’t object, your version is true.
If something seems unfair, it probably is.
You get to count on people telling the truth and not hiding things. If someone breaks a deal, they owe you your money back plus enough to find someone else. You can alter a deal if both sides agree. And so on. Contract law (as written) actually goes out of its way to protect the non-expert side of a deal more than the side that is in the business, wrote the contract, or has lawyers.
If your contract is for services, like if you hired someone to re-pave your driveway, then you probably can’t actually make them do it. No matter how badly they broke the contract, forcing people to do things isn’t really an option on the table. What you are entitled to is some amount of money to even things out. If it’s a contract for goods, like if you tried to buy some object, then you can be entitled to get that specific thing.
Knowing your rights can help you.
No one actually wants to go to small claims court over a contract argument. If you can say “We agreed on X and the law is on my side because of Y,” probably they’ll eventually fold. It helps to be right. You can skim through the Uniform Commercial Code or the Restatement (Second) of Contracts for something that looks related. (Neither of these is actually the law, but they’re pretty reliable. Every state has passed something more or less like that.)
Wait, so what's up with "I agree to the Terms of Service"?
Yeah, those break every rule in the book. It’s a take-it-or-leave-it contract where no one bargained about it, one side can change it at any time, and the other doesn’t know what’s in it. The official stance of contract law is something like “try not to think about it,” but that’s what most of us were doing anyway.
If something in there is really unconscionable, you’d have a claim, but chances are the power of social media will act first because a ton of other people will be in the same position.
What to do if you have a contract dispute.
Mentors
- Doctor of Law , Pepperdine Law
- Deputy Public Defender, Los Angeles County Public Defender
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English
- Campus Representative, The LAW Learners.
- Law, Amity Law School.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English
I love helping people. I inspire and develop the world by sharing my little experiences here every day. I have made it my mission to be a Legend in the Field of Law and help other students.
- United Nations Online Volunteer, United Nations Volunteers.
- Founder, The Chasmish Wakil.
- Project Manager, The Legal Crusade.
- Founder & Manager, The Legal Crusade.
- Asia Blog Editor, Kathmandu School of Law.
- Interned in Research, LawSikho.
- Student Member, Indian National Bar Association.
- Student Member, Singapore International Arbitration Center.
- Campus Ambassador, Legge Rhythms.
- Fellowship, LEAD India.
- Interned in Legal Research, Kalinga Kusum.
- Bachelor’s in Law, Lloyd Law College.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English
I’m primarily interested in IPR, Media and Entertainment, Tech and Cyber laws. Owing to experiences in different fields through previous internships I have picked up the skill of comprehensive research and have had the opportunity to draft various legal documents such as petitions, writs, notices etc.
- Intern, ANM Global.
- Editor and Content Writer, Lawggr.
- Interned in Legal Research and Content Writing, lexlife.
- Legal Intern, Lexclaim.
- Legal Intern, Danish Aftab Chowdhury and Associates.
- Legal Intern, Murari Tiwari and Associates.
- Bachelor’s in Law, Delhi University.
- Bachelor’s in Accounting and Finance.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English
- Associate, Withersworldwide.
- Associate, Lalive.
- Staff Lawyer, Volterra Fieta.
- Lecturer in Law, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
- Associate, Baró Armengol Law Firm.
- Diplomatic Affairs Trainee, Spanish Embassy.
- Research Assistant, Institute of European Studies.
- Master’s in Public International Law, The London School of Economics and Political Science.
- Bachelor’s in Public International Law, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
- Exchange Student, International Law, University of California, Berkeley.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English, Catalan, French, Spanish | Some German
A youthful and vivacious first-generation advocate with a keen sense of learning, I enjoy brainstorming discussions and sessions on all things legal. Making a difference, the drive to build and creating a solution when tackling a challenge are the reasons that pushed me towards the legal profession.
- Freelance Consultant, Profound Divinity.
- Legal Associate, Eshwars | House of Corporate & IPR Laws.
- Junior Associate, NVS & Associates, Advocates & Legal Consultants.
- Master’s in International Business, Trade Law, Insurance Law and Tax Law, National Law School of India University.
- Bachelor’s in Criminology and Police Administration, University of Madras.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English
Hi! I am one of the founders of this website. I graduated from U.C. Berkeley and Georgetown Law. Here is some of my background:
Legal
- Attorney Advisor at the National Commission on Service (constitutional law, reports, ethics, policy, a ton of legislative drafting).
- Privacy/Cybersecurity Litigation Associate at a big law firm in D.C.
- Litigation work, experience in national security/cybersecurity/data privacy with the Department of Defense, the FCC, the Department of State, and Ingenico.
Scientific
- Taught programming (Python) to law students with Prof. Paul Ohm.
- Supernova cosmology research with Nobel Laureate Saul Perlmutter at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
- Supersymmetry research with the CMS experiments at CERN.
- Particle and astrophysics research at the U.S. Dept. of Energy, Fermilab.
Writing
- This website 🙂 and our Medium blog and our novels.
- Short stories & poetry, was a freelance columnist for The Boston Globe and The Washington Times, author of The Eyes of Mikra, a spy/war novella.
Other stuff
- Love music and have played the piano for 20 years. Classically trained in Western Honors Chorus & Hindustani/Carnatic.
- Speak English, German, French, Spanish, Kannada, Hindi.
- Love art.
I am always happy to help people, especially with general career planning and mental health advice. As a young woman of color, I am always particularly glad to meet Gen Z’ers and minorities of all stripes (race, gender, sexuality, etc.).
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English | Some German, Spanish, Hindi, & French
- Gideons Promise Fellow, Orleans Public Defender.
- Staff Attorney, Orleans Public Defender.
- Student Attorney, Alaska Public Defender’s Office.
- Law Clerk, Public Defender Service.
- Law Clerk, Orleans Public Defenders.
- Americorps Member, HELP Legal Assistance.
- Investigative Intern, Public Defender Service.
- Doctor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center
- Bachelor’s in Philosophy, Cornell College
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Language: English
I am Marelize Bosch, a professional life coach. Focused on key areas such as teams and relationships, as well as migration coaching – I help people deal with the sometimes overwhelming decisions they have to make in business and at home. As a law professional with an LLB degree, a wife and mother, and recently an immigrant to Australia, I have personal experience in so many of the challenges that you may be facing. I offer a wide range of programs and services. With over 15 years of senior management and executive experience, I specialise in coaching from individual to team, both in-person and online.
- Professional Coach, Bosch Coaching.
- COO, National Consumer Tribunal.
- Registrar, National Consumer Tribunal.
- Senior Legal Advisor, CreditEdge Ltd.
- Legal Advisor, Somnium Investments.
- Bachelor’s in Law, University of Pretoria.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English
Hi! I’m one of the founders of this website. I graduated from USC in math and philosophy and Georgetown Law.
Here’s some of the hats I’ve worn before:
Appellate Attorney representing disabled veterans.
Law Fellow at the Northern Virginia Capital Defender Office. Virginia has specialized death penalty defense offices who get called in whenever the state tries to execute someone. I was performing research, writing motions, and interviewing possible mitigation witnesses.
Volunteer Attorney, at several different places.
—Rising for Justice, doing civil protection order defense (I swear we’re the good guys.) A disturbingly large fraction of protective orders aren’t people in danger of domestic abuse, but people who figured out this is a quicker way to get rid of someone than getting an eviction. Rising for Justice takes those cases.
—Institute for Justice, performing legal research for cases fighting civil forfeiture.
—Helpful Engineering, giving legal advice to engineers trying to produce supplies to fight COVID-19.
Miscellany:
I also write things. This website, Medium blogs, and I will write sonnets or song parodies about philosophy or current events on request.
I am not very good at fencing. My goal was to get good enough to effortlessly beat a majority of non-fencers, just in case it ever came up.
I’m better at chess, and would play tournaments occasionally if not for the quarantine.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English
I am a passionate storyteller and advocate. I am also an attorney, mediator, designer, and chef de cuisine. In my current position, I build the practices of mediators, arbitrators, and dispute resolution professionals so they can help more parties successfully navigate conflict and find smart and sustainable solutions to tricky, seemingly-intractable problems.
- Practice Development Manager, JAMS.
- CEO, Nikisky Consulting, LLC.
- Member, Mediators Beyond Borders.
- Vice President, France, Global Potential.
- Community Mediator & Trainer, New York Peace Institute.
- Food Literacy Educator, The Cookbook Project.
- Vice President of Membership, CPR Institute.
- International Arbitration, Employment & Labor Associate, Proskauer Rose LLP.
- Board Member, Stanford Club of France.
- Legal Advisor, Union of Overseas Voters.
- Legal Clerk for General Counsel and Hydro Group, Alstom Power.
- Programme Officer, 3D -> Trade – Human Rights – Equitable Economy.
- World Bank Zicklin Fellow, Wharton Business School.
- Legal Intern, Private Sector Team, Oxfam America.
- Law Clerk, Latham & Watkins.
- Political Consultant Account Executive, Terris | Barnes | Walters.
- Political Campaign Intern, Shaheen for Governor.
- French & European Law, Université Panthéon Sorbonne (Paris I).
- International Law, Northeastern University School of Law.
- Bachelor’s in Philosophy, Stanford University.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English, French | Some Spanish, Russian
- Associate Attorney, Kilpatrick Townsend, & Stockton.
- I’ve also clerked at the U.S. Tax Court, interned for a federal district court judge, and worked as a legal fellow on the Hill.
- J.D. & L.L.M. in Taxation, Georgetown University Law Center. I was an Executive Editor for the Tax Lawyer.
- B.A. in Law and Constitutional Studies, Utah State University.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English, French, Spanish | Some Arabic, German, Japanese, & Mandarin
- Data Privacy Analyst with Syneos Health and tons of experience in the data privacy field.
- Lawyer with a Bachelors in Business and a Masters in Cyber Security.
- Interned at Philly’s DA’s Office and clerked for a Judge.
- Founded a Cyber Law Society.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English
I’m an international lawyer at the U.S. Department of the Treasury where I specialize in matters at the intersection of foreign policy, national security, and economics and finance. Previously, I served as an attorney at the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service and, earlier, as an associate in the International Trade and National Security group at a leading international law firm. I hold a J.D. from Georgetown University and a B.S. from Cornell University and am admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and the State of New York. In my free time, I enjoy going for long outdoor runs, completing New York Times crossword puzzles, and analyzing geopolitical trends and prospective investment opportunities.
If you’d like to contact me, please send me a message through our Contact page.
Languages: English | Some French