Contracts

  • This Subject Area Index lists all CALI lessons covering Contracts.
  • The Contracts Outline allows you to search for terms of art that correspond to topics you are studying to find suggestions for related CALI Lessons.
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Drafting Contracts Using 'Shall', 'May' and 'Must'

A large percentage of litigation arising out of contracts results from poor drafting. In order to eliminate this litigation, it is imperative that students and legal professionals master good drafting skills. One of the most important aspects of drafting a contract is the operative language--language that affects legal relationships. This lesson is designed to introduce law students to operative language commonly used in drafting contracts, in particular, language of obligation (shall), language of authorization (may) and language of condition precedent (must).

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CISG Basics: Scope and General Provisions

This lesson is first in a series that takes a look at the basics of agreements governed by the U.N. Convention on the International Sale of Goods (CISG). The CISG provides a uniform set of rules for international sales contracts where the parties are located in different signatory countries. While some of the rules parallel those under the common law and Article 2 of the U.C.C., many are different. This lesson sets out the basic requisites for determining when the CISG applies and evaluating contracts governed by the CISG. The general attributes of domestic contracts and CISG contracts are covered in other lessons.

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CISG Basics: Formation

This lesson is second in a series that takes a look at formation of agreements governed by the U.N. Convention on the International Sale of Goods (CISG). The CISG provides a uniform set of rules for international sales contracts where the parties are located in different signatory countries. There are 11 separate provisions on contract formation under the CISG. This lesson sets out the basic requisites for determining whether an offer exists, when it is accepted and how to address a battle of the forms if the CISG applies. The general attributes of domestic contracts and other CISG contracts are covered in other lessons.

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CISG Basics: Performance

This lesson is third in a series that takes a look at performance of agreements governed by the U.N. Convention on the International Sale of Goods (CISG). The CISG provides a uniform set of rules for international sales contracts where the parties are located in different signatory countries.

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Tortious Interference: Discussions in Torts Podcast

The topic of this podcast is Tortious Interference - when one of the parties to a contract claims that a third party wrongfully interfered with the contract by inducing the other party to breach. The rule for when tortious interference arises after a contract can be found in Restatement (Second) of Torts § 766. Tortious interference can also arise before the contract is formed, when the third party is claimed to have interfered with the formation of a contract. The podcast includes a discussion of defenses to a claim of tortious interference, and examines the fine line between unlawful and permissible interference per Restatement (Second) of Torts § 767. The cases Texaco, Inc. v. Pennzoil Co. and Phillips v. MEA are covered, as is the movie The Insider which was based on a real tortious interference case. 

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Advice to a 1L From a Law Professor Podcast

A Question and Answer session with Prof. McFarland, author of several of CALI's lessons in Tort Law and Civil Procedure. Prof. McFarland has been teaching for over 30 years. His comments in this podcast about the first semester of law school focus on the Socratic method, preparing for class, note-taking during class, class participation, "riding out" that "lost at sea" feel common during the first few weeks of law school, the appropriate use of study aids, advice about law school exams, and general advice on doing well in law school.

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