Legal & Contracts

Legal issues and contracts are among the most intricate and complex areas of meeting planning and management. Despite the complexities, knowledge of these issues is required for all meeting planners.

What is a contract? PCMA's Professional Meeting Management Guidebook^®, Fifth Edition (PMM5) defines a contract as "an agreement between two or more parties that creates in each party a duty to do, or not to do something, and a right of performance or a remedy for the breach of the other's duty".

Like contracts, legal issues can have far reaching effects on any event if not addressed appropriately. One way to avoid legal difficulties is to familiarize one's self with local, state and federal laws that could potentially affect the event. Another method of avoiding legal conflicts is to consult an attorney. An attorney will be able to understand complicated terms, clauses and to anticipate problems with a contract or situation.

Watch Education Sessions from the 2010 PCMA Annual Meeting - Earn CEUs Today!

• Strategies for Negotiating Convention Center Licenses: A Guide to Avoiding the Legal Pitfalls
• 10 Essential Legal Issues in International Meetings
• Labor Intensive: Forming Partnerships that Work

Below are resources which will help answer your questions regarding some of the most common legal issues and contracts.

Do you know of another resource? Is there something else you want to see? Let us know!