By now, we all know that client service agreements are major ass-savers. But sometimes business owners ask us if they need all of that legal mumbo jumbo at the end (aka the boilerplate).

We usually respond by making really serious eye contact and whispering the words, “hell yes you do.” Because boilerplate clauses are serious stuff and we are dramatic.

The boilerplate is made up of standard clauses that are often found at the end of a contract to protect you if there is misunderstanding, confusion, or any other trouble that happens during the relationship with your client. Basically these clauses control what happens when the parties in the agreement disagree.

Which, we all know, happens more than we wish it did.

So, for example, one of the clauses in the boilerplate is the limitation of liability clause and it does exactly what it sounds like it does: it limits the amount of liability you could have if an issue arises out of the contract. In other words, thanks to this clause, the amount of money a problem will cost you is limited and won’t be inflated by extra, over-the-top damages.

Good, right?

Another biggie in the boilerplate is the recovery of litigation expenses  (also known as the attorney’s fees clause which is such a better name, right?). This clause allows the winning party of a lawsuit to recover their attorney’s fees and other costs incurred to bring the lawsuit to enforce the agreement.  So if the judge agrees to it, then whomever wins the lawsuit gets their attorney’s fees covered. Yay!

The glorious moral of  the story is that all of that boilerplate at the end of your client service agreement is not just taking up space: it’s actually protecting you from the problems that arise when there’s an issue under the contract.  So don’t get rid of it and stop calling mumbo jumbo and rest easy knowing your CSA is doing its job. The end.