# Contract review? Cost and checklist

> See what a lawyer checks in a contract review, what it costs, and use the free checklist with the key points to look for before you sign your contract.

## The short answer

A contract review means a legal professional assesses your contract for risks such as liability, termination, payment and applicable law. For an average contract that is often a few hours of work, so a fixed price or a narrow band is achievable. Below you will find a free checklist with the key points to look for.

## Key takeaways

- A review looks at liability, termination, payment and applicable law
- Well-defined work can usually be priced up front
- Use the free checklist before you sign

## What does a lawyer check in a contract review?

A good contract review is not about typos, it is about risk. A legal professional
looks for the places where the contract can hurt you later: where do you carry
liability, how do you get out, when do you get paid, and which law applies if things
go wrong. The attention goes mainly to liability and its limitation, intellectual
property, payment terms, termination and the applicable law.

Use the checklist below as a first scan of your own, and let a legal professional do
the substantive assessment.

### Free contract review checklist

- The parties and their signing authority are correct
- The performance or delivery is precisely described
- Price, payment term and the consequences of late payment are clear
- Term, renewal and notice period are fixed
- Liability and its limitation are addressed
- Warranties and the consequences of defects are named
- Intellectual property and usage rights are allocated
- Confidentiality and data protection (GDPR) are handled
- There is a force majeure clause
- Applicable law and the competent court are chosen
- Amendment and assignment of the contract are addressed
- The correct general terms apply, and the counterparty's terms are excluded
- Any penalty or damages clauses are reasonable
- The consequences of termination are clear

## What does a contract review cost?

Because a contract review is well-defined work, it is easy to price up front. For an
average contract it is often a few hours of work. With an average legal-counsel rate
of around
[135 euro per hour excluding VAT according to Knab](https://bieb.knab.nl/ondernemen/wat-verdient-een-jurist-zzp-bekijk-uurtarief-en-winst),
that usually comes to a few hundred euro, depending on the length and complexity.
The full ranges and the difference with a lawyer are in
[what a lawyer really costs](https://iusmatch.com/en/resources/what-does-a-lawyer-cost).

## When is a contract review really worth it?

Not every contract needs a legal professional, but at certain moments it is well
worth the cost: for funding, when hiring staff, for a large or long-running client,
and for a contract with a foreign counterparty. Those are exactly the moments when
the amounts and the risks are big enough to earn back a few hours of review.

A handy rule of thumb: the larger the amount, the term, or your dependence on the
other party, the sooner a review pays for itself. A small, one-off order on a
standard contract you can often cover yourself with the checklist above. As soon as
there is a long-running obligation, a serious liability risk or a foreign
counterparty involved, the review outweighs the cost of a dispute afterwards by a
wide margin. If in doubt, have someone look before you sign rather than discover an
expensive surprise later.

If it concerns an agreement with a party abroad, extra questions arise around
applicable law and the competent court. If you are unsure whether your matter calls
for a lawyer or whether a legal counsel is enough, see
[when a lawyer or a legal counsel fits](https://iusmatch.com/en/resources/lawyer-or-legal-counsel).

## Can you have AI review your contract?

An honest answer: AI is useful to flag things quickly, but not to judge. A language
model can point out missing clauses or odd wording, but it does not weigh your
situation, negotiating position and risk the way a legal professional does. AI flags,
counsel judges. That is how iusmatch uses AI too: to remove friction, not to replace
the lawyer. AI gets you to the right lawyer faster, not past the lawyer.

## How does a contract review work through iusmatch?

You upload the contract and briefly describe what you want to achieve. The intake
structures the question and anonymises your data, after which you receive proposals
with a fixed price or a narrow band and a turnaround time. You choose on substance
and price, and pay only your counsel's hours plus VAT. See
[how iusmatch works for clients](https://iusmatch.com/en/for-clients) to have your contract reviewed
without surprises afterwards.

## Frequently asked questions

**How quickly can a contract be reviewed?**

For a well-defined contract often within a few working days, depending on the length and the urgency.

**What should I send for a contract review?**

The contract itself, any annexes and general terms, and a short description of what you want to achieve with the agreement.

**Does iusmatch review my contract itself?**

No. iusmatch is not a law firm; the legal professional you choose reviews the contract. iusmatch provides the match, the structure and the invoicing.

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## About iusmatch

iusmatch is a legal marketplace that connects individuals and businesses anonymously with vetted lawyers and counsel for cross-border matters. You see the scope and price up front, and your identity is only shared after you accept a proposal.

Canonical URL: https://iusmatch.com/en/resources/contract-review