Review a standard-form franchise or distribution agreement for unfair contract terms
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- From the agreement and the parties’ details, record the factors relevant to whether it is a standard form small business contract, then list every term that could be unfair (unilateral variation, termination for convenience, one-sided indemnities, liability caps, renewal on the franchisor’s terms) with the clause reference and why it is flagged.
- What the lawyer must review
- The lawyer decides whether the contract is a standard form small business contract, which flagged terms are likely unfair in context and whether any is reasonably necessary to protect legitimate interests, and advises on amendments.
- Written for / version
- US
Open a jurisdiction version of this task to see which instruments apply: US
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | From the agreement and the parties’ details, record the factors relevant to whether it is a standard form small business contract, then list every term that could be unfair (unilateral variation, termination for convenience, one-sided indemnities, liability caps, renewal on the franchisor’s terms) with the clause reference and why it is flagged. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Confirm whether the 2025 Code applies to this franchise and which provisions are in force on the date of the step, before the template or checklist is used.
- Confirm the small business and standard form tests against the facts, not assumptions.
- Read each flagged clause in the context of the whole agreement.
- Check the Code’s own requirements so an amendment does not create a Code breach.
Forms and precedents for this task
| Form or precedent | Kind | AI use | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unfair contract terms review of a standard-form agreement | Checklist | AI use Yellow | Review table for a standard-form franchise or distribution agreement against the unfair contract terms description on the ACCC page opened on 22 October 2026, including the small-business thresholds that page says changed on 9 November 2023. |
Signed-in accounts can read the full text of each one. All precedents.
Sources
These are suggested working checks. Confirm the required checking with the responsible lawyer before work starts; the checking approach does not establish permission to use AI.
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