The project has outgrown its scope
Sales has promised an outcome, delivery depends on the customer, and the contract says little about acceptance, change requests or delays.
IT contracts
IT lawyer for software houses and technology teams
I help structure and negotiate technology contracts that reflect how the project is actually delivered. We connect scope, payment, acceptance and liability with software rights, data, security and what the team can commit to. Advice covers Polish law and applicable EU rules.
CONTRACTS IN PRACTICE
Where the IT contract stops reflecting the project
The SLA does not fit the architecture
Response times, availability and liability look convincing on paper but leave out external vendors, maintenance windows and the team’s actual capacity.
Liability falls on one side
Exceptions undermine the liability cap, penalties accumulate and the customer expects the supplier to answer for elements outside its control.
Software rights are unclear
The contract does not distinguish customer deliverables, supplier know-how, reusable components, open source, documentation and subcontractor work.
SCOPE
From the contract to delivery
We connect contract terms with delivery, liability, software rights and data.
IT contracts and delivery
- Implementation, development, maintenance, support and outsourcing agreements
- Scope, milestones, customer cooperation and dependencies
- Acceptance criteria, sign-off and defect resolution
- Change requests, backlog and evolving requirements
- SLAs, support, maintenance and service windows
Risk and negotiation
- Liability, caps, contractual penalties and damages
- Termination, exit arrangements and project handover
- Reviewing the other party’s template and drafting alternatives
- Negotiations with customers, vendors and subcontractors
- Risk assessments and recommendations for decision-makers
IP, data and security
- Software rights, licences, documentation and reusable components
- Developer and subcontractor agreements
- DPAs, GDPR roles, subprocessors and data transfers
- InfoSec requirements and security questionnaires
- Incident, audit and customer cooperation arrangements
Who we work with
Software houses and IT suppliers
You sell implementation, development, maintenance or support and need terms that match the way the project works.
Businesses buying technology
You are commissioning development, implementing a system or negotiating with a vendor and need to assess risks, dependencies and decision points.
Product teams and CTOs
You need to translate architecture, security, integrations and delivery into workable contract terms, a DPA or a security questionnaire.
Startups approaching an enterprise customer
The customer sends its own agreement, InfoSec requirements and a long set of annexes. Decide what you can accept and what needs negotiation.
When to involve a lawyer
From preparing your own terms to an acceptance dispute or a serious outage.
- 01
Before sending or signing the agreement
Settle scope, acceptance, IP and liability before both parties become attached to a particular draft.
- 02
When negotiations start holding up sales
Separate essential issues from acceptable compromises and prepare alternative wording the business can use.
- 03
When delivery moves beyond the original agreement
Change requests, delays, missing customer input and acceptance disputes need a review of both the contract and the project’s actual status.
- 04
During enterprise procurement
Address DPAs, security, procedures, insurance and procurement requirements without committing the team to work it cannot deliver.
- 05
Before scaling sales
A reusable agreement, annexes and negotiation positions make repeat discussions easier and reduce inconsistent concessions.
- 06
After an incident or a serious outage
Review obligations, liability, communication and next steps in the context of the whole relationship.
How we handle your matter
We establish the project status and the decisions needed, then work on terms, negotiations and implementation.
- 01
Triage
We establish your goal, negotiation stage, delivery model and the risks that need attention now.
- 02
Options
I distinguish essential points from negotiable ones and explain the available approaches.
- 03
Drafting and negotiation
I prepare terms, comments or a complete template and support discussions with the other party.
- 04
Implementation
We translate the agreed terms into acceptance, change, SLA, data and security processes.
Legal advice grounded in product and business decisions
Meet Maciej LisMaciej Lis is a Polish attorney-at-law and Data Protection Officer. He is also a co-founder and Product Owner of IMMONA Game, with Tech & Operations responsibilities. He combines work on his own product’s roadmap, contracts and IP with legal support for technology businesses. His experience includes VC discussions on behalf of startups and due diligence for an equity buyer.
Lis.Legal is based in Szczecin. We work remotely with technology businesses across Poland and international teams on matters involving Polish law and applicable EU rules. In-person meetings are available by appointment.
Selected work
Explore our experienceA software services agreement for an enterprise engagement
Development scope, acceptance, software IP and liability in an enterprise services agreement.
Business outcome: The software company signed the contract and is earning revenue under agreed billing rules for different delivery models. Its customer is satisfied with the clear arrangements for ordering and documenting work and acquiring rights to the results.
Checking implementation against the legal documentation
Reviewing implementation materials against the agreed contract, service activation and data handling.
Business goal: Reduce the risk of refunds, customer claims and interrupted sales caused by a mismatch between the service terms and the product.
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Read the articleAn IT agreement to review, or negotiations that have stalled?
Tell us what the project involves and where the discussion stands. A free 30-minute introductory consultation helps us agree the goal, priorities and next step.
Request a consultation