Essential Assignment Clause Strategies for Modern Contracts – Оксана Кіріяк
Про основні стратегії переуступки для сучасних контрактів розповіла кандидат юридичних наук, доцент Чернівецький національний університет імені Юрія Федьковича Оксана Кіріяк під час заходу з підвищення професійного рівня адвокатів, що відбувся у Вищій школі адвокатури НААУ.
Матеріали заходів
18.02.2025

Лекторка докладно проаналізувала разом з учасниками основні стратегії переуступки для сучасних контрактів, а саме:

  • 1. Introduction and Overview of the Assignment Clause – вступ і загальний огляд.
  • 2. Practical Drafting and Common Mistakes – Практика складання та типові помилки.
  • 3. Case Analysis – Аналіз кейсів та реальні приклади.
  • 4. Q&A Session and Discussion – Сесія запитань та відповідей, обговорення.

У рамках характеристики основних стратегій переуступки акцентовано на наступному:

1. Introduction and Overview of the Assignment Clause – вступізагальнийогляд

An Assignment Clause is a provision in a contract that governs the transfer of rights or obligations under the contract from one party to another. It specifies whether a party can assign its rights or delegate its duties to a third party, and under what conditions such an assignment can occur.

An Assignment Clause is a provision in a contract that governs the transfer of rights or obligations under the contract from one party to another. It specifies whether a party can assign its rights or delegate its duties to a third party, and under what conditions such an assignment can occur.

The clause may restrict or allow assignment freely, or require the consent of the other contracting party. It is often used to ensure that contractual obligations are fulfilled by parties who were originally intended to bear (нести) them, or to permit (забезпечувати) flexibility in transferring rights when necessary.

The assignment clause – потребує попереднього повідомлення у випадку настання певної підстави чи події.

The assignment clause facilitates the transfer of contractual rights and obligations from one party to another, often requiring notice (повідомлення) to the other party, while the consent-to-transfer clause explicitly mandates the approval of the original party before any rights or duties can be assigned, thereby ensuring control over who may assume the contractual responsibilities.

The consent-to-transfer clause – пункт про згоду на передачу прав одразу містить перелік обставин за яких це можливо і отже окремого погодження не потребує.

Assignment vs. Delegation: Legalese Nuances:

  • The assignment of rights – Переуступка (передання) прав.

“Assignment of rights” typically refers to the transfer of rights from one party to another, allowing the assignee to assume the benefits originally held by the assignor.

  • The delegation of duties – Делегування обов’язків.

Conversely, “delegation of duties” involves transferring obligations, where the delegator entrusts another party with the performance of certain duties while often retaining ultimate responsibility.

Key Players of the Assignment Clauses:

  1. The assignor. The assignor ЦЕДЕНТ is the party who transfers their rights or benefits under a contract to another party. This could be (1) an individual or (2) an entity that holds a particular right (such as the right to receive payment) and wishes to pass that right on to someone else.
  2. The assignee. The assignee, ПРАВОНАСТУПНИК on the other hand, is the party that receives the rights or benefits from the assignor. The assignee gains the right to enforce the assigned rights against the original party to the contract. This means that the assignee steps into the shoes of the assignor and can exercise the rights that were previously held by the assignor.

In summary, the assignor is the original rights holder who transfers their rights, while the assignee is the new rights holder who receives those rights and can enforce them.

2. Practical Drafting and Common Mistakes – Практикаскладаннятатиповіпомилки

Maintaining these three steps is crucial to ensure a valid assignment of contract rights and obligations, safeguard against potential legal disputes, and clarify the responsibilities of all parties involved in the agreement.

Step 1: Examine the contract for any limitations or prohibitions. Check for anti-assignment clauses. Sometimes the prohibition is not a separate clause but is included in another provision. Look for language that states, “This agreement may not be assigned.” If you find such language, you may not be able to assign the agreement unless the other party consents.

Step 2: Execute an assignment. If you are not prohibited from assigning the contract, prepare and enter into an assignment of contract: an agreement that transfers the parties’ rights and obligations.

Step 3: Provide notice to the obligor. After you have assigned your contract rights to the assignee, you should provide notice to the other original contracting party (referred to as the obligor). This notice will effectively relieve you of any liability under the contract unless the contract says differently (for instance, if the contract says that the assignor guarantees the performance of the assigned contract or the contract prohibits an assignment) or the assignment.

Consent Requirement:

Many assignment clauses specify whether the assigning party must obtain consent from the other party before assigning their rights.

This could be a blanket prohibition, a requirement for written consent, or circumstances where consent is not needed.

The assignment clause details how rights or obligations can be transferred from the assignor to the assignee and may specify any conditions or restrictions on the assignment.

  • Assignor: The party transferring rights or obligations under a contract. The assignor is the original holder of the rights or obligations being assigned.
  • Assignee: The party receiving the rights or obligations from the assignor. The assignee takes over the rights or obligations specified in the assignment clause.
  • Obligor (in some cases): The party who is obliged to perform under the original contract. In some assignments, the obligor may need to be notified of the assignment or give consent, especially if the contract terms require it.

Best Practices for Drafting and Negotiating Assignment Clauses:

When drafting and negotiating assignment clauses, ensure clarity by explicitly defining the rights or obligations being transferred and the parties involved. Include provisions for obtaining consent if required, and address any restrictions or conditions on the assignment to avoid disputes. Additionally, specify the process for notifying relevant parties to ensure a smooth transition and compliance with contractual obligations.

3. Case Analysis – Аналіз кейсів та реальні приклади

If you’re making a contract and you don’t want assignment to be an option, you need to clearly state that in your agreement. Below are three variations of anti-assignment clauses that can be used in a contract.

EXAMPLE 1: Consent Required for Assignment Assignment. Neither party may assign or delegate its rights or obligations pursuant to this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other.

EXAMPLE 2: Consent Not Needed for Affiliates or New Owners Assignment. Neither party may assign or delegate its rights or obligations pursuant to this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other. However, no consent is required for an assignment that occurs (a) to an entity in which the transferring party owns more than 50% of the assets, or (b) as part of a transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the transferring party to any party.

EXAMPLE 3: Consent Not Unreasonably Withheld Assignment. Neither party may assign or delegate its rights or obligations pursuant to this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other. Such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

Additional tips:

– Any assignment or delegation in violation of this section shall be void.

– Anti-assignment clauses can also be modified to prohibit only one of the parties from assigning rights.

– Also, when preparing an anti-assignment clause, keep in mind that you can prevent only “voluntary” assignments; you can’t prevent assignments that are ordered by a court or that are mandatory under law – for example, in a bankruptcy proceeding.

Liabilities and Obligations After Assignment:

  • Specifies who is responsible for fulfilling obligations after an assignment.
  • Often, the original party remains liable even after assigning their rights, unless the contract states otherwise.

In some cases, the contract may also stipulate joint liability for certain ongoing obligations.

The two main stages of assignment clauses:

  1. Preparation and Drafting: This stage involves clearly defining the rights or obligations to be assigned, identifying the parties involved, and outlining any conditions or restrictions. Properly drafting the clause ensures that all terms are unambiguous and legally enforceable.
  1. Execution and Implementation: Once the assignment clause is drafted, it must be executed by the parties involved, which may include obtaining necessary consents and notifying relevant stakeholders. Proper implementation ensures that the transfer is effective and that all parties fulfill their contractual.

4. Q&A Session and Discussion – Сесіязапитаньтавідповідейобговорення

Governing Law and Jurisdiction:

  1. Establishes the legal framework and jurisdiction that will govern any disputes related to the assignment.
  1. It may also specify a particular court or arbitration process for resolving disputes, ensuring consistency in legal interpretations and enforcement.
  1. This ensures clarity on which country’s or state’s laws will apply in case of a disagreement.
  1. The choice of governing law can influence how contract terms are interpreted, and certain jurisdictions may offer more favorable legal outcomes for one party.
  1. If the assignment involves international parties, it’s crucial to account for differences in laws across borders to prevent jurisdictional conflicts.

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