Dubai chamber offers primer on contract writing

A business contract is no simple document, and while success can help companies achieve their goals, failure can hurt profitability and spark disputes, Jehad Kazim told the crowd gathered at a workshop recently.

Kazim is the director of the Legal Services Department of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which hosted the workshop. She was part of the chamber’s contingent on hand to enhance the business community's knowledge of the legal and technical aspects of drafting a contract.

The workshop was led by Paul Jorgensen, founder of the Jorgensen Law Firm in Washington.

"Successful contracts are those that enhance business relationships," Jorgensen said. "Creating successful contracts is more an art than a science and more like painting a fine portrait than mechanically taking a simple photo. The creator must be sensitive to all aspects of the relationship, understand the parties’ goals, then clearly and logically present each in a writing that can be consistently interpreted without the creator."

Besides members of the chamber, the workshop was attended by lawyers and legal advisers, investors, managers, business leaders and SME owners who frequently use contracts in their commercial dealings. Contract drafting is one of the services provided to Dubai Chamber members.