Begin with the decision the review needs to support: whether to sign, which changes to seek, or how to respond to a proposed renewal. The document and its commercial context belong in the same brief.
Explain the business decision
Say what the agreement is meant to achieve, why it matters and what you need to decide. A review before signing differs from advice about an existing problem.
Provide the whole agreement
Gather the current draft, schedules, statements of work, incorporated policies and any earlier versions. Identify changes already agreed in correspondence.
Identify the commercial priorities
Set out the value of the relationship, the main obligations and your concerns. Consider payment, delivery, liability, IP, confidentiality, renewal and exit as discussion points.
State the timetable
Provide the proposed signing date and any renewal, notice or other deadline you know about. Do not assume a review engagement has been accepted simply because documents have been sent.
Agree the output
Clarify whether you need a risk summary, a marked-up draft, an advice call, counterparty negotiation or a combination. Agree the revisions and negotiation scope at the outset.
A useful starting brief
- The current agreement and every document it incorporates.
- Your three main commercial concerns and preferred outcome.
- What has already been agreed, signed or changed.
- Any signing, notice or renewal date, with the relevant document reference.
Flag standard terms as part of the brief
The ACCC explains that unfair contract terms laws protect consumers and eligible small businesses using standard form contracts. Tell your lawyer whether the document is a standard template, what negotiation has occurred and when it was made, renewed or varied. Those facts help identify the legal questions the review should address.
Sources checked 6 October 2026. Regulator and government guidance provides context; it is not advice on your matter.
This guide is a practical preparation aid. The applicable law, documents and facts need to be assessed for your circumstances. It does not determine the scope of an engagement.