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Managing pandemic risk in commercial contracts: in-house checklist for reviewing existing and new agreements—force majeure, change in law, continuity, governance, key personnel, pricing, security

Checklists
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This Checklist is intended for in-house lawyers.

It outlines the clauses to weigh up to safeguard your organisation in both current and future contracts should a pandemic arise. Read it alongside Practice Note: Pandemic risk management guide. See also Practice Note: Drafting for unforeseen events—commercial contracts.

Force majeure

Clause: Existing contract | New contract

See Q&As:

  • Will our force majeure provision cover the economic impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)?
  • Is a force majeure clause enforceable in a business-to-consumer agreement due to coronavirus (COVID-19)?
  • Does coronavirus (COVID-19) amount to biological contamination for the purposes of a force majeure definition?
  • Is the force majeure definition restricted to a fixed list of events, without broader wording such as ‘without limitation’ or similar?
  • Where a force majeure event is described as beyond a party’s reasonable control, ‘including but not limited to’ specified examples, would a court treat that list as indicative of the type of qualifying event?

See also Precedent: Force majeure clause, together with Practice Notes:

  • Force majeure—consequences and contract discharge
  • Drafting and negotiating a force majeure clause—checklist

Examine the drafting carefully...

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Web page updated on 20/05/2026

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