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Drafting and Enforcing Termination Clauses in Commercial Contracts

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Drafting and Enforcing Termination Clauses in Commercial Contracts Presenting a live 90-minute webinar with interactive Q&A Drafting and Enforcing Termination Clauses in Commercial Contracts Maximizing Recovery or Minimizing Loss When Contracts End Due to Breach, Insolvency, Milestone Failure, Expiration or Other Reason TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 1pm Eastern | 12pm Central | 11am Mountain | 10am Pacific Today’s faculty features: Rebekah R. Conroy, Partner, Brown Moskowitz & Kallen, Summit, N.J. Timothy Murray, Partner, Murray Hogue & Lannis, Pittsburgh The audio portion of the conference may be accessed via the telephone or by using your computer's speakers. Please refer to the instructions emailed to registrants for additional information. If you have any questions, please contact Customer Service at 1-800-926-7926 ext. 10. Tips for Optimal Quality FOR LIVE EVENT ONLY Sound Quality If you are listening via your computer speakers, please note that the quality of your sound will vary depending on the speed and quality of your internet connection. If the sound quality is not satisfactory, you may listen via the phone: dial 1-866-961-8499 and enter your PIN when prompted. Otherwise, please send us a chat or e-mail [email protected] immediately so we can address the problem. If you dialed in and have any difficulties during the call, press *0 for assistance. Viewing Quality To maximize your screen, press the F11 key on your keyboard. To exit full screen, press the F11 key again. Continuing Education Credits FOR LIVE EVENT ONLY In order for us to process your continuing education credit, you must confirm your participation in this webinar by completing and submitting the Attendance Affirmation/Evaluation after the webinar. A link to the Attendance Affirmation/Evaluation will be in the thank you email that you will receive immediately following the program. For additional information about continuing education, call us at 1-800-926-7926 ext. 35. Program Materials FOR LIVE EVENT ONLY If you have not printed the conference materials for this program, please complete the following steps: • Click on the ^ symbol next to “Conference Materials” in the middle of the left- hand column on your screen. • Click on the tab labeled “Handouts” that appears, and there you will see a PDF of the slides for today's program. • Double click on the PDF and a separate page will open. • Print the slides by clicking on the printer icon. TIMOTHY MURRAY MURRAY, HOGUE & LANNIS [email protected] A breach of contract may be “material” or “immaterial.” When a party to a contract materially breaches the contract, the other party is—if it so chooses—discharged and freed of any obligation to perform and may at that point sue for damages. When a breach is immaterial, the nonbreaching party is not excused from future performance and may sue only for the damages caused by the breach. 6 FACTORS TO DETERMINE MATERIAL BREACH -- Restatement (Second) Contracts, § 241): In determining whether a failure to render or to offer performance is material, the following circumstances are significant: (a) the extent to which the injured party will be deprived of the benefit which he reasonably expected; (b) the extent to which the injured party can be adequately compensated for the part of that benefit of which he will be deprived; 7 Restatement (Second) Contracts, § 241 (continued): (c) the extent to which the party failing to perform or to offer to perform will suffer forfeiture; (d) the likelihood that the party failing to perform or to offer to perform will cure his failure, taking account of all the circumstances including any reasonable assurances; (e) the extent to which the behavior of the party failing to perform or to offer to perform comports with standards of good faith and fair dealing. 8 A problem with relying on a court to decide whether a breach was material: without a court order, you can’t know for certain if the breach was material or if you have the right to be discharged from your contractual obligations. ◦ Example: Kodak Graphic Communs. Can. Co. v. E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 1764 (2d Cir. N.Y. 2016)(whether late delivery of order was a material breach was a fact question despite presence of “time is of the essence” clause). 9 The contract can avoid the uncertainty as to what constitutes a “material breach” by spelling out the events that warrant termination. Even non-material events can be included as events warranting termination—e.g., “any violation of a an employee handbook that is not cured within 10 days following notice.” 10 The following warrant immediate termination of this Agreement: any violation of this Agreement or the employee handbook that is not cured within ten days of written notice [etc.--list other events] in addition to any and all other reasons, regardless of their dissimilarity to the foregoing, deemed to warrant termination under the law. A termination in accordance with this paragraph shall not be the Employer’s sole and exclusive remedy for any breach of this Agreement. 11 Cautionary notes about drafting clauses that allow termination: ◦ Expressio unius est exclusio alterius would exclude any item not specifically listed. ◦ The solution: add a catch-all—but this needs to deal with ejusdem generis by referencing dissimilar events or circumstances. ◦ Note that it is (or is not) the sole and exclusive remedy. 12 This Agreement shall terminate, without notice (i) upon the institution by or against either party of insolvency, receivership or bankruptcy proceedings or any other proceedings for the settlement of either party's debts, (ii) upon either party making an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (iii) upon either party's dissolution or ceasing to do business. 13 Provisions that purport to allow a party to terminate an executory contract (an agreement that the parties have not fully performed) in the event the other party is subject to a voluntary or involuntary filing of bankruptcy, insolvency, or a general assignment for the benefit of creditors. These clauses generally are unenforceable in the event a bankruptcy case is filed. (11USC § 365(c) and (e)(1)). 14 Why include them in a contract? ◦ Not all insolvencies end up in bankruptcy. ◦ An ipso facto clause is not invalid if “applicable law excuses a party, other than the debtor, to such contract or lease from accepting performance from or rendering performance to the trustee or to an assignee of such contract or lease, whether or not such contract or lease prohibits or restricts assignment of rights or delegation of duties ….” 15 Some common exceptions: ◦ Personal services contracts (example: music recording contract; contract requiring debtor to paint a mural). Also, depending on the jurisdiction: partnership agreements, intellectual property licenses, government contracts, franchise agreements, and limited liability company agreements. ◦ Contracts “to make a loan, or extend other debt financing or financial accommodations, to or for the benefit of the debtor, or to issue a security of the debtor." 16 The contract can establish milestones for the performance of obligations. For milestones where it is critical that performance be timely, the contract should state that “time is of the essence.” ◦ “Time is of the essence” can turn delay into material breach. ◦ Use “time is of the essence” only when necessary. ◦ Put the language immediately next to the milestone–avoid a generalized “time is of the essence cause. 17 For milestones that are missed, the contract can establish a penalty system depending on the importance of the deadline and the degree of tardiness: ◦ One possibility: liquidated damages—but make sure it is not a disguised penalty: (1) The stipulated amount must be reasonable in light of the anticipated or actual (the modern rule) loss caused by the breach; and (2) actual damages would be difficult to estimate in advance or to prove after a breach occurs. 18 Difference in terminology: "Termination“—when a party puts an end to the contract otherwise than for its breach. "Cancellation“—when either party puts an end to the contract for breach. “Expiration”—when a contract’s term is up or it ends automatically according to its terms. 19 If the contract states a definite term, it automatically ends at the conclusion of the term. If the contract states no term or duration: ◦ If the contract references a specific event that would signal its end, it ends automatically when that event occurs. ◦ If the contract references no event to signal its end, it ends within a reasonable time (and it is terminable at will). 20 When a contract expires by its own terms, if the parties continue to perform as if under it, the law deems their performance to be a contract implied-in-fact (which is an express contract) on the same terms and conditions as the original contract. 21 Best practice: spell out a definite term (to allow the contract to end in a “reasonable time” is a recipe for litigation). The time to consider what needs to occur following expiration is the drafting stage. ◦ Does anything need to be done at the expiration (tools returned? Site cleaned up/hazards removed? Return or destruction of confidential information?) If so—spell it out. Survival clause? Post-expiration restrictive covenant? 22 Term. The Term of this Contract will be for five (5) years beginning on the Effective Date. “The contractor shall [promptly/immediately/within 5 or some other number of days] vacate the premises and return to the owner all property and equipment belonging to, or furnished or paid for by the owner.” 23 “At the disclosing party's request, all confidential information, whether in written form, electronically stored or otherwise, and all copies thereof, that is in the possession of the receiving party, including its agents, employees, subcontractors, or representatives, shall [promptly/immediately/within 5 or some other number of days] be returned to the disclosing party, or destroyed.
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