WHAT DOES “MUST / MAY / WILL / SHALL” IN A CONTRACT MEAN?

must

  • conveys an obligation, while

may

  • suggests discretion, along the lines of “reserves the right”

“will” and “shall” can be tricky

  • will” indicates that a consequence in the future,
  • e.g. the contract will be subject to the laws of …
  • “shall” places an obligation on a party to do something
  • e.g. the part shall pay all costs

More to explore

Tips For Contracts

Contracts must reflect the intentions of the parties, therefore, use common sense formulations and plain English. Contracts must be concise, so use shorter sentences. Also,