"Boilerplate: Practical Clauses" by Richard Christou is a comprehensive guide to boilerplate clauses in commercial agreements. Here is a detailed overview of the book:

Key Themes

• Risk Management: The book illustrates the role of boilerplate clauses in risk management, highlighting how these clauses often interlink and build on each other to mitigate potential risks in commercial contracts.
• Legal Context: It provides detailed commentary and legal context, making it a valuable resource for practitioners drafting contracts.
• Practical Application: The book offers practical advice on the application of each clause, ensuring that readers understand when and how to use these clauses effectively.
• Recent Case Law: The work is updated to include recent case law, particularly under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, competition law, consumer law, and intellectual property rights.

Plot Summary

The book does not have a narrative plot but rather serves as a practical guide. It is structured around a collection of boilerplate language, which includes suggestions on how to apply each phrase and in-depth analytical analysis. The clauses are interspersed with concise commentary, guiding the reader on when to use the clause and points to note.

Critical Reception

• Authoritative Tone: The book is praised for its clear, practical, academic, and authoritative tone. Richard Christou's impressive legal and literary career, including his experience as a solicitor, in-house counsel, and senior management roles at Fujitsu, contributes to the authoritative nature of the book.
• Relevance to Practitioners: The book is recommended for lawyers who usually do not pay much attention to boilerplate clauses, as it provides ample cause to reconsider their importance in risk management and contract drafting.
• Practical Drafting Tool: It is described as a practical drafting tool for practitioners drafting contracts, serving as a single source for the most commonly used boilerplate clauses.

Overall, "Boilerplate: Practical Clauses" is a valuable resource for legal professionals involved in commercial contract drafting, offering detailed commentary, practical application advice, and an authoritative legal context.