Hi Michael,

What do you think about the attitudes discussed in this thread over conflict resolution? I am amazed at how readily people seem to accept the idea that everything is so one-sided against them. I don't recall who it was, but someone in this thread pointed out that it is always a good idea to spell out this eventuality in the contract. Beyond that, I would suggest that everyone could avoid legal expenses by including a clause in the contract wherein both parties agree to arbitration if there is any conflict that can't be resolved otherwise. I also like the clause that requires the losing party in a legal case to reimburse the victor their expenses. In the U.S. these are both perfectly enforcible clauses. Finally, if a client is truly a deadbeat that just won't pay, report them to the credit reporting agencies. The next time they try to get a line of credit or a loan they will find that not paying their vendor/contractor can cost them a percentage point or two on any loans they seek. That can motivate any number of people/companies to reconcile their past accounts.