Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/8885
•Find out where support personnel are located. If support is partially or wholly outsourced/offshored, is that acceptable to you? • Term: •Determine whether the maintenance term is acceptable. •Find out what happens if you don ’t renew maintenance. Can you still purchase support? Also find out what happens if you decide to reinstate maintenance later. Is there a penalty, such as a requirement to pay for the interim period during which you did not have coverage? • End-of-Life Schedule: Find out how long each version will be supported, and on what schedule you must install patches, updates, and upgrades to receive support. If the schedule is unrealistic for your firm, it can often be negotiated. SOFTWARE-RELATED SERVICE AGREEMENTS: • Statement of Work: Review the statement of work carefully and thoroughly. Does it address all of the tasks that will need to be completed to make the implementation a success? What assumptions does it make, and are they accurate? Don’t forget to consider integration with other software and specialized report needs (all firms have specialized report needs). The vendor’s original estimate of the price of implementation services is likely to be far lower than the actual expense you will incur. Pay detailed attention to this area to make sure you stay within budget. Advice for Vendors: Best Practices in Pro •Our best and most important advice for vendors is to start with a proposed agreement that is complete, fair, and reasonable for both parties. You want the transaction to close promptly. There will be significant delay if the agreement needs substantial negotiation and revision. Although it is true that law firms are filled with lawyers, their highest priority is not reviewing and negotiating internal firm contracts. •Make sure you understand what the purchaser wants. Take the time to discuss the purchaser’s wants and needs, and to understand why the purchaser is asking for revisions to the agreement. 16 Best Practices in Licensing Agreements ILTA Report