How we won the first IACCM Contract Design Award; what we did, how we did it - and what we learnt

Practicus, a UK-headquartered international project and change-management business, won the first IACCM Contract Design Award in January 2014. Lalit Kumar, Practicus' Commercial Manager, managed the project from the first redrafts to the final IACCM certification.\r
\r
In this talk, David (see below) and Lalit will explain the commercial reasoning behind Practicus' decision to put time and effort into reworking their contracts, how they did it, and what other companies can learn from Practicus' experience. And Simon Carter - the plain-language and document-design consultant Practicus worked with on the project - will explain the language and layout techniques that transformed the contracts.\r
\r
The main points:\r
\r
Commercial thinking that drove the project. This includes friction-reducing points (eg, less reworking and rewording, faster turnarounds), revenue-improvement points (eg, stronger relationships deliver more business), and strategic points (eg, aligning contracts with business strategy and brand positioning).\r
Obstacles and objections, and tricks of the trade. How the team overcame internal and external objections, and the clear-language and layout-design techniques that transformed the contract.\r
Outcomes and results. How clients and the internal team have reacted to the new contract, and the practical benefits (eg, less time wasted on word-by-word negotiation).\r
Learnings and next steps. What we learnt, and the advice we'd give to other companies setting out on a similar project. And what we intend to do next.\r
\r
Our Experts\r
\r
Lalit Kumar has over ten years' experience of creating and negotiating commercial contracts. He has worked with Practicus for three years - a time of rapid expansion and office openings in Hong Kong, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. He is responsible for all contractual documents, from non-disclosure agreements to various services and consulting agreements, and signs off every Practicus contract.\r
\r
David Bardoe-Pout has been a highly successful Finance Director for more than 20 years. He cut his financial teeth in a number of FTSE 100 and 250 companies, but in recent years has worked mostly in fast-growing companies, overseeing numerous acquisitions as well as delivering consistent and profitable organic growth. David has often been the Board-level sponsor for legal and contractual matters in many of the companies he has worked in.\r
\r
Simon Carter is a plain-language writer/trainer, and document designer. He helps law firms, investment banks, and other businesses produce documents that are clear, easy to read, and memorable.