A single ambiguous clause can turn a routine agreement into a costly dispute months after both parties have signed. That is why organisations increasingly treat contract management not as paperwork, but as a discipline that protects revenue, relationships, and legal standing. The Contract Drafting and Management programme from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy was built around this reality.

Participants work through the legal and administrative groundwork needed to draft, negotiate, and oversee contracts professionally — from the first clause written to the final signature and beyond. Along the way, the programme highlights the mistakes that most often surface in poorly written contracts, and the negotiation techniques that keep every party's interests protected as terms are agreed, amended, or disputed.

Knowledge and Benefits

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Apply the legal and commercial foundations of contract management with confidence.
• Draft clear, fair contracts that hold up against international legal standards.
• Negotiate contract terms and propose solutions that protect every party's interests.
• Monitor contract implementation and confirm all parties are meeting their obligations.
• Resolve disputes and legal issues connected to contracts in a professional, structured way.

Who Should Attend?

• Lawyers and legal consultants who draft and manage contracts.
• Executives and supervisors overseeing negotiations and contractual penalties.
• Project managers handling construction and rehabilitation contracts.
• Procurement and supply chain professionals managing supplier and partner contracts.
• Financial and administrative staff dealing with commercial and financial contracts.

Module 1: The Business Case for Professional Contract Management

• What a contract is and the legal elements that make it valid, written or verbal.
• How contract management connects to enterprise risk management and business strategy.
• The role of legal consultants in reviewing contracts to ensure compliance.

Module 2: Legal Foundations and the Rights of Each Party

• Core legal elements every contract must include.
• Rights and obligations of contracting parties under local and international law.
• Legal eligibility conditions for contracting parties and how they are protected.

Module 3: Drafting Contracts That Hold Up

• Writing clear, flexible terms that prevent future disputes.
• Balancing power between the parties while drafting.
• Structuring financial terms, payment methods, penalties, and performance guarantees.

Module 4: Negotiation Skills and Strategy

• Core negotiation strategies for reaching favourable terms.
• Negotiating pricing, warranties, intellectual property, and data protection clauses.
• Handling resistance and negotiating across cultural and international settings.

Module 5: Ensuring Compliance and Managing Change

• Mechanisms for monitoring execution and confirming compliance with every term.
• Amending contracts when unexpected changes occur, without harming either party.
• Handling delays, quality issues, and breaches of contract terms.

Module 6: Technology and Documentation in Contract Management

• Software and tools that improve contract management efficiency.
• Using electronic systems to track execution in real time.
• Securing contract-related documents and data.

Module 7: Managing Legal and Commercial Risk

• Legal risks arising from breaches or ambiguous terms.
• Legal liability in multi-party contracts and enforcing penalties.
• Reducing financial risk in contracts involving international parties.

Module 8: Resolving Disputes

• Arbitration and mediation as alternatives to court proceedings.
• Preparing legal documentation and assessing multi-party claims.
• Rebuilding trust and adjusting contract terms after a dispute is resolved.

Module 9: Contracts Across Sectors

• Managing contracts for major construction and infrastructure projects.
• Drafting flexible, quality-focused service contracts.
• Negotiating supplier and procurement contracts and managing related challenges.

Module 10: Reviewing and Evaluating Contract Performance

• Conducting a full review of contracts after an extended implementation period.
• Updating contracts in line with legal and economic changes.
• Using assessment tools to measure how successfully a contract was executed.