Start with one question: what do I promise and what do I get
A contract is easier to read when you know what you are looking for. Write down in two lines what you agreed verbally: what is being done, for how much, by when. Then read the text and mark everything that differs from your note. A difference does not always mean deception, but it almost always calls for a question, because in a dispute people look at the signed text, not at messages and memories.
Read the entire document, including small print, annexes and definitions. An important term often sits where you would not expect it: in an annex, in general terms or in a document the contract merely refers to. If there is such a reference, ask for the text itself.
The parties and their authority
Compare the full name, registration data and bank details with documents you can verify yourself. See who signs the contract and on what basis: a director, a representative under a power of attorney or someone else. A typo in the details can delay payment, and a signature by a person without authority creates a dispute about whether the contract binds anyone at all.
Subject, price and deadlines
The subject should describe the result so that an outsider can understand what counts as done. Wording such as services as needed, with no annex listing them, leaves room for disagreement. Check the price together with the payment procedure: advance, stages, currency, taxes, expenses and the cases in which the cost can change.
For deadlines, look at the start and the end: which event starts the clock, whether working or calendar days are meant, what happens on a postponement. If a deadline depends on the other side, for example on handing over materials, that is worth writing down too.
Acceptance, liability and leaving the contract
Acceptance answers the question of when the work counts as delivered and when the duty to pay begins. Find the period for objections, the acceptance document and the consequences of silence: sometimes no reply means the work has been accepted.
In the liability section, compare how penalties and limits work for each side. A strong imbalance is not always unlawful, but you need to see it before you sign. Then read the termination terms: who can leave and when, whether notice is needed, what happens to the advance and to the part already done. Separately check automatic renewal if there is any.
Also look at confidentiality, rights to the result of the work, governing law and dispute resolution. These clauses are often skipped until a conflict arises.
Which way of reviewing to choose
Reading it yourself suits a simple, clear contract with small consequences, but it depends on your experience. An AI assistant explains wording quickly and suggests questions, but it can make mistakes and miss clauses. A lawyer assesses your situation and is responsible for the work, so you need one when a large sum, real estate, employees, disputes or foreign law are involved. These ways can be combined: first understand it yourself, then bring a lawyer specific questions.
How to do this in Legal
In JEEKSSHIRE 24 | Legal you open a PDF, DOCX, TXT or HTML file of up to 15 MB, and first recognise a scan and compare it with the original. Then you choose the country, region and your role, ask the assistant about specific clauses and correct the wording in the editor. Answers have to be compared with the contract text and sources: they are prompts for your review, not a guarantee that there are no risks and not a lawyer's opinion. Agree new edits with the other party before treating them as valid.