At Christmas, Tracey, Lawpoint co-founder and Head Lawyer wrote this poem bringing the heavy subject of contracts and not-so-heavy poetry together. Behind every verse in this poem is a serious point and a serious amount of experience and pain of Tracey and others who are involved in the contracting process in one way or another. Over the coming months, we’ll be addressing some of these pain points, challenges, and solutions. (see here for Christmas video).
Christmas contracts!
The Elf was brimming with Christmass-y joys.
Today he started to make Santa’s toys,
the very first toys for Christmas this year.
Giving gifts to the kids spread so much cheer.
He had to go and get final supplies,
Balsa wood, micro screws, wires and dyes.
But, the supplier was sorry to say,
Signed terms were needed, to take them away.
Well, the elf was surprised, a little cross.
But, he couldn’t sign, he wasn’t the boss.
He asked if there might be another way,
It was crucial that work started TODAY!
“I do understand”, the supplier said,
but these are rules from our new legal head.
Santa’s now a material client,
This is what’s needed to be compliant”.
The FaceTime to Santa didn’t go well,
He was very angry. The Elf could tell.
His face went red as he suppressed a scowl.
“I don’t have time for this. Patch in the owl”.
Well, the owl was a very wise old bird,
And she was keen to tell all that she’d heard.
“There’s buyin’ and sellin’ and it’s no joke,
avin’ dealins’ with all them business folk.
They’ve got orders, contracts n terms of sale
There are lots of them words and sooo much detail.
Now they all need to get things in writin’
‘pparently, ‘elps ‘em to stop the fightin’”
Well, this made Santa feel extremely sad,
He lamented, “Were things really this bad”?
The owl concurred: “Tis’ not now ‘bout givin’
Tis a sign of the times we now live in.
None of this really made sense to the elf.
He just wanted those supplies on his shelf.
As the others bemoaned evolution,
He thought about an actual solution.
He gently said, “Could I perhaps suggest,
that signing terms today might be the best?”.
“Oooh”, said the owl, “You’ll need someone legal,
Let me call me old mucker, the Eagle”.
The Eagle lead the negotiation,
Santa vented his total frustration.
At the eleventh hour, the sides aligned.
And the bloody terms were finally signed.
The elf was pleased to go to bed that night.
He reflected as he turned out the light.
“Today had been awful and pretty rough.
Thank god, I don’t have to read all that stuff”.
He was soon asleep and dreaming of toys,
of loud Christmas parties, music and noise,
of jellies and sweets and dancing all night
So much fun and not a contract in sight!
