--- title: What You Didn’t Learn in Law School About Negotiating Contracts description: In law school, you learned the law. Everything else, you’ve had to learn on your own or on the job. Contract negotiation is one of the most important skills in your in-house role. image: https://blog.linksquares.com/hubfs/perlafdez_an_emergency_sign_floating_on_top_of_a_stack_of_orang_522f2c09-29ab-4cce-8e99-01755faa8bf6.png --- [Skip to content](https://blog.linksquares.com/what-you-didnt-learn-in-law-school-about-negotiating-contracts#main-content) [LinkSquares](https://blog.linksquares.com/) Open Mobile Menu [LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/) Close Mobile Menu [Why LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/why-linksquares/) [Products](https://linksquares.com/products/) --- [The LinkSquares Cloud One platform for all your in-house legal needs](https://linksquares.com/products/linksquares-cloud/) --- Contract Lifecycle Management Create, review, manage and sign contracts Legal Project Management Centralize your work and keep projects moving Cross-product capabilities Get scalability, efficiency and connectivity LinkSquares Onboarding Experience A step by step guide to get started today --- [Solutions](https://linksquares.com/solutions/) [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers/) Resources Content [LinkSquares+ Content curated for in-house leaders](https://linksquares.com/plus/) [The Library](https://linksquares.com/library/) In the studio [Demo Library](https://linksquares.com/demo-library/) Community & Events [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers/) [Events & Webinars](https://linksquares.com/events/) Learning [Blog](https://blog.linksquares.com/) [In-House Insights](https://linksquares.com/inhouse-insights/) [Knowledge Base](https://help.linksquares.com/) [Events](https://linksquares.com/events/) [About Us](https://linksquares.com/about-us/) [Careers](https://linksquares.com/careers/) [Press](https://blog.linksquares.com/tag/linksquares-news-press) [Pricing](https://linksquares.com/pricing/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Contract Lifecycle Management](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Finalize Streamline your contract creation process](https://linksquares.com/products/finalize/) [Sign Get your contracts executed faster](https://linksquares.com/products/sign/) [Analyze Your post-signature analytics & repository](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/) [CLM Suite One platform to rule them all](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Legal Project Management](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Prioritize Manage, track, and report on legal work in one place](https://linksquares.com/products/prioritize/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Cross-product capabilities](https://linksquares.com/products/) [LinkAI Predictive and generative AI](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/ai/) [Integrations Connect the tools you love](https://linksquares.com/integrations/) [Reporting Improve your teams efficiency with KPIs](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/dashboard/) [API Integrate with any third-party app](https://linksquares.com/integrations/linksquares-api/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Cross-product capabilities](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Onboarding We're here for you from day one](https://linksquares.com/onboarding-services/) [Services Short on time? 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[Learn more](https://linksquares.com/agentic-ai/) Contract Lifecycle Management Create, review, manage and sign contracts Legal Project Management Centralize your work and keep projects moving Unified Capabilities Get scalability, efficiency and connectivity LinkSquares Onboarding Experience A step by step guide to get started quickly [Finalize Streamline your contract creation process](https://linksquares.com/products/finalize/) [Sign Get your contracts executed faster](https://linksquares.com/products/sign/) [Analyze Your post-signature analytics & repository](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/) [CLM Suite One platform to rule them all](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Prioritize Manage, track, and report on legal work in one place](https://linksquares.com/products/prioritize/) [LinkAI Predictive and generative AI](https://linksquares.com/ai/) [Agentic AI Smarter contracting with a multi-agent approach](https://linksquares.com/agentic-ai/) [Integrations Connect the tools you love](https://linksquares.com/integrations/) [Reporting Improve your teams efficiency with KPIs](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/dashboard/) [API Integrate with any third-party app](https://linksquares.com/integrations/linksquares-api/) [Onboarding We're here for you from day one](https://linksquares.com/onboarding-services/) [Services Short on time? 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Everything else, you’ve had to learn on your own or on the job. [Contract negotiation](https://blog.linksquares.com/contract-negotiation-how-to-get-it-right), for example, is one of the most important skills in your in-house role, yet your law school curriculum probably didn’t cover that. No one taught you how to interpret or regulate your tone in the comments, how to prioritize terms, or when good enough was good enough. Chances are, there’s a lot you’re still learning on the job, and that heartburn you can’t seem to get rid of might just be because of all the uncertainty. Luckily, we know a thing or two about contract negotiation, so here are some tips you didn’t learn in law school. ## Perfection is a fool’s errand. It’s easy to get caught up on writing the perfect contract using perfect language that protects you from everything. But [in the words of Laura Fredrick](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLIJe6WnNsI), “Your goal is risk management, not beautiful documents.” Take the pressure off yourself — the perfect clause doesn’t exist. The goal here isn’t perfection, it’s clarity. Cut out passive language, lazy descriptions, and anything that makes it unclear who is responsible for what. Being clear in your meaning can sometimes mean being clunky in your language, especially early in your career, so embrace the lack of perfection. ## Always know your why. A contract negotiation isn’t — or shouldn’t be — a competition. It’s less about being right and more about coming to an agreement that everybody’s happy with. For a less fraught contract negotiation, lead with your why. This is a more accurate indicator of when to push and when to compromise.  Your “why” is at the heart of what you’re trying to achieve with this contract, this customer, or your business as a whole. What are the desired outcomes? What are your negotiables? Where can you be more flexible? All contracts aren’t the same, so evaluate your approach based on what your business needs. ## Aim for a collaborative tone. It’s easy to misinterpret written tone on a good day, let alone in the setting of a tense contract negotiation. Outbursts can happen, and they can set a bad tone (so to speak) for future collaborations and cause friction. When [redlining your contracts](https://blog.linksquares.com/how-to-redline), be on the lookout for language that might be a little biting, snarky, or passive aggressive. Consider writing a first draft of comments, then going over them again with fresh eyes to smooth out your language and make adjustments to your tone where necessary. As they say, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. ## Takeaways Contract negotiation can be one of the most tense aspects of the contract process, especially when the negotiating parties are stubborn and combative. Law school didn’t teach you how to master this essential part of your role, but it did teach you how to learn quickly. For a less stressful process, remember your why, aim for clarity, and use a collaborative or neutral tone when addressing comments.  See how LinkSquares CLM can help you negotiate contracts more seamlessly. [Contact us today.](https://go.linksquares.com/demo-request) ![avatar](https://blog.linksquares.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/T04PT1TAS-U05KVF59FFX-5f6cad44ecc4-512.jpg?width=290&name=T04PT1TAS-U05KVF59FFX-5f6cad44ecc4-512.jpg) #### [Emily Weiner](https://blog.linksquares.com/author/emily-weiner-marketing-campaign-manager) Emily Weiner is a Marketing Campaign Manager at LinkSquares ## Subscribe to the LinkSquares Blog Stay up to date on best practices for GCs and legal teams, current events, legal tech, and more. ## Related Articles ### [Alyssa Verzino Jun 02, 2023 5 min read 3 Things They Didn’t Teach You in Law School In law school, you become proficient in researching case law, preparing arguments, and comprehending readings to participate in ... Start Reading](https://blog.linksquares.com/3-things-they-didnt-teach-you-in-law-school) ### [Emily Weiner Oct 24, 2023 7 min read Managing Your Contract Management Process After you’ve agreed on terms, gotten final approval from stakeholders, and signed on the (virtual) dotted line, you’ve ... Start Reading](https://blog.linksquares.com/managing-your-contract-management-process) ### [Emily Weiner Oct 10, 2023 7 min read Contract Lifecycle Management Process: From Creation to Termination Start Reading](https://blog.linksquares.com/contract-lifecycle-management-process-from-creation-to-termination) - [Products](https://linksquares.com/products) - [LinkSquares Cloud](https://linksquares.com/products/linksquares-cloud/) - [Prioritize](https://linksquares.com/products/prioritize/) - [Finalize](https://linksquares.com/products/finalize) - [Sign](https://linksquares.com/products/sign) - [Analyze](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze) - [Full Suite](https://linksquares.com/products) - [Integrations](https://linksquares.com/integrations) - [Reporting](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/dashboard/) - [API](https://linksquares.com/integrations/linksquares-api/) - [LinkAI](https://linksquares.com/ai/) - [Agentic AI](https://linksquares.com/agentic-ai/) - [Services](https://linksquares.com/services/) - [Solutions](https://linksquares.com/solutions) - [Crisis Management](https://linksquares.com/solutions/crisis-management/) - [Contract Review](https://linksquares.com/solutions/contract-review/) - [Contract Storage](https://linksquares.com/solutions/contract-storage/) - [Data Privacy & Compliance](https://linksquares.com/solutions/data-privacy-compliance/) - [Deal Acceleration](https://linksquares.com/solutions/deal-acceleration/) - [Mergers & Acquisitions](https://linksquares.com/solutions/fundraising-and-ma/) - [Vendor Management](https://linksquares.com/solutions/vendor-management/) - Departments - [Legal](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-legal/) - [Procurement](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-procurement/) - [Sales](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-sales/) - [Resources](https://linksquares.com/library) - [LinkSquares+](https://linksquares.com/plus) - [Blog](https://blog.linksquares.com/) - [Cockpit Counsel](https://linksquares.com/cockpit-counsel-series) - [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers) - [Demo Library](https://linksquares.com/demo-library) - [Events & Webinars](https://linksquares.com/events) - [In-House Insights](https://linksquares.com/inhouse-insights/) - [Knowledge Base](https://help.linksquares.com/) - [The Library](https://linksquares.com/resources) - Company - [About Us](https://linksquares.com/about-us) - [Careers](https://linksquares.com/careers) - [Contact Us](https://linksquares.com/contact-us/) - [Onboarding](https://linksquares.com/onboarding-services/) - [Partner Program](https://linksquares.com/partners) - [Pricing](https://linksquares.com/pricing/) - [Press](https://blog.linksquares.com/tag/linksquares-news-events) - [Recognition](https://linksquares.com/recognition/) - [Support](mailto:support@linksquares.com) - [Why LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/why-linksquares/) #### LINKSQUARES, INC. 60 State St. Suite 1200 Boston, MA 02109 [617-681-8552](tel:617-681-8552) [salesinfo@linksquares.com](mailto:salesinfo@linksquares.com) © 2026 LinkSquares, Inc. - [SaaS Terms of Service](https://linksquares.com/saas-terms-of-service/) - [Privacy](https://linksquares.com/privacy-policy/) - [Security](https://linksquares.com/security/) - [Status](https://linksquares.statuspage.io/) - [Your Privacy Choices](https://go.linksquares.com/linksquares-do-not-sell-or-share-personal-data) - ![aicpa soc 2](https://blog.linksquares.com/hs-fs/hubfs/soc2_66933e61%20copy.png?width=100&height=100&name=soc2_66933e61%20copy.png) - ![barr certification](https://blog.linksquares.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Frame%201921.png?width=129&height=57&name=Frame%201921.png) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "United States", "addressLocality" : "Boston", "addressRegion" : "MA", "postalCode" : "02109", "streetAddress" : "60 State Street" }, "knowsLanguage" : "en", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://6934676.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6934676/Navigation/logo_643dd1b1.svg" }, "name" : "LinkSquares", "url" : "https://blog.linksquares.com/what-you-didnt-learn-in-law-school-about-negotiating-contracts" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "abstract" : "In law school, you learned the law. Everything else, you’ve had to learn on your own or on the job. Contract negotiation is one of the most important skills in your in-house role.", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Emily Weiner" }, "dateModified" : "2023-11-14T21:49:50Z", "datePublished" : "2023-11-14T21:49:50Z", "headline" : "What You Didn’t Learn in Law School About Negotiating Contracts", "image" : "https://6934676.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6934676/perlafdez_an_emergency_sign_floating_on_top_of_a_stack_of_orang_522f2c09-29ab-4cce-8e99-01755faa8bf6.png", "inLanguage" : "en", "keywords" : "[Contract Management]", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@type" : "WebPage" }, "name" : "What You Didn’t Learn in Law School About Negotiating Contracts", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://6934676.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6934676/Navigation/logo_643dd1b1.svg" }, "name" : "LinkSquares" }, "text" : "In law school, you learned the law. Everything else, you’ve had to learn on your own or on the job. Contract negotiation, for example, is one of the most important skills in your in-house role, yet your law school curriculum probably didn’t cover that. No one taught you how to interpret or regulate your tone in the comments, how to prioritize terms, or when good enough was good enough. Chances are, there’s a lot you’re still learning on the job, and that heartburn you can’t seem to get rid of might just be because of all the uncertainty. Luckily, we know a thing or two about contract negotiation, so here are some tips you didn’t learn in law school. Perfection is a fool’s errand. It’s easy to get caught up on writing the perfect contract using perfect language that protects you from everything. But in the words of Laura Fredrick, “Your goal is risk management, not beautiful documents.” Take the pressure off yourself — the perfect clause doesn’t exist. The goal here isn’t perfection, it’s clarity. Cut out passive language, lazy descriptions, and anything that makes it unclear who is responsible for what. Being clear in your meaning can sometimes mean being clunky in your language, especially early in your career, so embrace the lack of perfection. Always know your why. A contract negotiation isn’t — or shouldn’t be — a competition. It’s less about being right and more about coming to an agreement that everybody’s happy with. For a less fraught contract negotiation, lead with your why. This is a more accurate indicator of when to push and when to compromise. Your “why” is at the heart of what you’re trying to achieve with this contract, this customer, or your business as a whole. What are the desired outcomes? What are your negotiables? Where can you be more flexible? All contracts aren’t the same, so evaluate your approach based on what your business needs. Aim for a collaborative tone. It’s easy to misinterpret written tone on a good day, let alone in the setting of a tense contract negotiation. Outbursts can happen, and they can set a bad tone (so to speak) for future collaborations and cause friction. When redlining your contracts, be on the lookout for language that might be a little biting, snarky, or passive aggressive. Consider writing a first draft of comments, then going over them again with fresh eyes to smooth out your language and make adjustments to your tone where necessary. As they say, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Takeaways Contract negotiation can be one of the most tense aspects of the contract process, especially when the negotiating parties are stubborn and combative. Law school didn’t teach you how to master this essential part of your role, but it did teach you how to learn quickly. For a less stressful process, remember your why, aim for clarity, and use a collaborative or neutral tone when addressing comments. See how LinkSquares CLM can help you negotiate contracts more seamlessly. Contact us today.", "url" : "https://blog.linksquares.com/what-you-didnt-learn-in-law-school-about-negotiating-contracts", "wordCount" : "691" } ```