Contract law

Contract is another word for an agreement. The law uses the word agreements, not contracts. Agreements are in principle free of form but in some legally determined cases, the written form applies. It is advisable to record agreements in a contract so these agreements can be proven. However, the content of a contract is not always completely clear because often, ambiguities can arise about the agreements made in the contract. On 28 December 2018, the court in Rotterdam ruled in a case in which, following handwriting examination, it appeared that both beer mats had been signed by the parties. Our contract law lawyers specialize in contracts and can assist you with such issues.

Different types of agreements in contract law

Any arrangement between two or more parties is, in principle, an agreement. Contract law is therefore a very broad area of law. It should be noted that in addition to general contract law, there are also many specific rules for special agreements, such as purchase, rent, assignment, labour, contracting work, agency, etc. This summary shows that drawing up a contract is not easy without knowledge of the relevant special legal framework. There are areas of law such as employment law and tenancy law, where mandatory law is more applicable and the parties are not as free to deviate from the law. It often means these agreements are null and void.

Drafting, amending and/or assessing a contract

A contract must comply with the legal rules applicable at that time. Reusing the same contract year after year can therefore cause problems just because of changing laws and regulations. This may mean that an agreement or part thereof is not legally valid and therefore no longer applies to the current situation. When drawing up a contract, it is very important that not only the applicable laws and regulations are considered, but also forthcoming law. A specialist contract law lawyer will be in the best position to draft, amend and/or assess a contract.