Our Fundamentals of Law series aims to cover those topics that all lawyers, at whatever level, need to know and understand. In the latest of the series, Alexa Lamont will look at commencement and duration clauses. The Court of Appeal recently ruled in Zaha Hadid Ltd v The Zaha Hadid Foundation [2026] EWCA Civ 192 that a contract described as "indefinite" isn't the same as one intended to last forever ("perpetual"). Alexa will cover what that decision means in practice, alongside other practical advice about how to draft and negotiate commencement and duration clauses. A short case study will bring the key drafting points to life.
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