There are many things many of you do better than I. I know you can bake a pie, or tie a fly, on manage a plane in the sky, better than I. I question, however, whether you can craft a legal document better than I, or any of my attorney colleagues across this great nation of ours. Legal drafting is an acquired skill. It is born from countless hours of repetition, and observing, and inculcating. I see something in someone else's document, I make determination that the clause,or even phrase, is apt and I use it for future iterations. Because of my background, and educatiion, and experience, placing a new element in an already well-thought out document is appropriate. This is my craft; this type of ability to synthesize and create is what gives me the "ultimate value proposition" which all of us in this profession, who care, are searching for.
Having said everything I have said above, I continue to wonder why so many of you, who are non-attorneys, continue to put language in you Offers and Purchase and Sale Agreements, the legal ramifications of which you really cannot be certain. Are you exposing yourself to liability which is not part of the job description? Are you venturing into waters that are unknown and dangerous?
As I have indicated many times in the fact, I believe in quoting "fixed fees" for my purchase and sale work. I try to make these fees reasonable; I abide by my quoted rate unless the client comes to me and requests that I charge more. That happens once in a while when a deal goes way, way off the track. In any event, drafting ALL documents is part of my fixed fee. The reason I can be so inclusive is that I can draft a document in much less time than it takes you to bake a pie, or tie a fly. This is my craft: I know how to do this. Use me,or my colleagues. We are there to help, and we can help get the deal to the closing table, where we are want to meet, as soon as we can.
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