--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ambiguity is the contract lawyer’s enemy…" description: "\"“Ambiguity is the contract lawyer’s enemy. Any”\" — Charles M. Fox" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/charles-m-fox-19369_quote_ambiguity-is-the-contract-lawyer-s-enemy_1950494.jpg" --- # Ambiguity is the contract lawyer’s enemy. Any ![“Ambiguity is the contract lawyer’s enemy. Any” quote by Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/charles-m-fox-19369_quote_ambiguity-is-the-contract-lawyer-s-enemy_1950494.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/charles-m-fox-19369_quote_ambiguity-is-the-contract-lawyer-s-enemy_1950494.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/charles-m-fox-19369_quote_ambiguity-is-the-contract-lawyer-s-enemy_1950494.jpg) > ““Ambiguity is the contract lawyer’s enemy. Any”” [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambiguity hinders lawyers because contracts need clear terms. **In simple terms:** Unclear contracts hurt lawyers. Key Takeaway Seek clarity in agreements. Themes law communication precision Mood analytical cautious Type legal practical When to use this quote - business deals - legal drafting - negotiations Key Concepts contract law interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle ambiguous clauses? - When is ambiguity acceptable? A Different Perspective Complex issues may never be fully clear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambiguity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) ## Related quotes > [“the goal of a contract is to describe with precision the substance of the meeting of two minds, in language that will be interpreted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/the-goal-of-a-contract-is-to-describe-with-precision-the-substance-of/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“A well-written contract provision is one that provides no traction for either party or their counsel to argue that something else was intended. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/a-well-written-contract-provision-is-one-that-provides-no-traction/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [I am in the utmost perplexity, yand have wished a hundred times, that if there is a A God, nature would manifest him without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/i-am-in-the-utmost-perplexity-yand-have-wished-a-hundred-times-that/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I've always been drawn to ambiguity in pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-ambiguity-in-pop-music/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [In order to be as free as I possibly can, in my own imagination, I can't take positions that are closed. Everything I've ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-order-to-be-as-free-as-i-possibly-can-in-my-own-imagination-i-can/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism - the failure to fail, and fail big, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-there-is-a-single-tragic-flaw-that-mars-our-biggest-enterprises-it/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [My path to wisdom began when I stopped pretending to know things I didn't know. When I explicitly admitted to the limits of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/my-path-to-wisdom-began-when-i-stopped-pretending-to-know-things-i/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [Yet again, an ancient answer echoes across the centuries: Listen! Listen to stories! For what stories do, above all else, is hold up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-kurtz/yet-again-an-ancient-answer-echoes-across-the-centuries-listen-listen/) [Ernest Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-kurtz/) > [I think the relationship between social-dominance orientation in people and the extent to which they're made uncomfortable by ambiguity and novelty is really important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/i-think-the-relationship-between-social-dominance-orientation-in/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [I blame my grandfather 100 percent for his oldest son's death. I don't think there's any ambiguity there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/i-blame-my-grandfather-100-percent-for-his-oldest-son-s-death-i-don-t/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Ambiguity is necessary in some of my stories, not in all. In those, it certainly contributes to the richness of the story. I doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/ambiguity-is-necessary-in-some-of-my-stories-not-in-all-in-those-it/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) > [The position is clear - there is no ambiguity in Sinn Fein's position. We, along with all the other parties, have signed up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-position-is-clear-there-is-no-ambiguity-in-sinn-fein-s-position/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) ## More by Charles M. Fox > [“Which lawyer drafts the contract is often dictated by custom: financing agreements are drafted by lenders’ counsel; acquisition agreements are drafted by purchaser’s counsel;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/which-lawyer-drafts-the-contract-is-often-dictated-by-custom/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“Remedial provisions have two elements: a description of the events that give rise to the right to a remedy, and the remedies themselves. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/remedial-provisions-have-two-elements-a-description-of-the-events/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“The documentation of a business deal is where the worlds of business and law most clearly intersect. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/the-documentation-of-a-business-deal-is-where-the-worlds-of-business/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“The notion that commercial contracts should be written in plain English so as to be understood by people who would never be expected to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/the-notion-that-commercial-contracts-should-be-written-in-plain/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“Some people incorrectly assume that a survival clause means that the representations are made or brought down on a continuing basis. This is inconsistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/some-people-incorrectly-assume-that-a-survival-clause-means-that-the/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“very few things can be made to happen immediately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/very-few-things-can-be-made-to-happen-immediately/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“the primary goal of drafting: to create an agreement that is precise, simple, consistent and clear—in other words, an agreement that is user-friendly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/the-primary-goal-of-drafting-to-create-an-agreement-that-is-precise/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“party being asked to make a representation will want to make complete disclosure in order to avoid liability. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/party-being-asked-to-make-a-representation-will-want-to-make-complete/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“Material adverse effect" is a standard that is often employed in the softening of contract provisions. It is often used in more than one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/material-adverse-effect-is-a-standard-that-is-often-employed-in-the/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“A proviso is a clause that begins with either "provided" or "provided, however.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/a-proviso-is-a-clause-that-begins-with-either-provided-or-provided/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“Why include conditions precedent at all if there is going to be a simultaneous closing? It is not a necessity, but it does serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/why-include-conditions-precedent-at-all-if-there-is-going-to-be-a/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“A well-written contract provision is one that provides no traction for either party or their counsel to argue that something else was intended. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/a-well-written-contract-provision-is-one-that-provides-no-traction/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“Don’t hesitate to use your markup to explain a point as well as to convey it. For”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/don-t-hesitate-to-use-your-markup-to-explain-a-point-as-well-as-to/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“It is true that too much legal writing is obfuscatory, wordy, dense and stilted. Many lawyers seem to believe that sounding like a lawyer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/it-is-true-that-too-much-legal-writing-is-obfuscatory-wordy-dense-and/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [“Learning is an accretive process: the more one knows, the easier it is to learn, because there are reference points that new information can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/learning-is-an-accretive-process-the-more-one-knows-the-easier-it-is/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) [Explore all 32 Charles M. Fox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) ## More Ambiguity quotes > [The position is clear - there is no ambiguity in Sinn Fein's position. We, along with all the other parties, have signed up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-position-is-clear-there-is-no-ambiguity-in-sinn-fein-s-position/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Ambiguity is necessary in some of my stories, not in all. In those, it certainly contributes to the richness of the story. I doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/ambiguity-is-necessary-in-some-of-my-stories-not-in-all-in-those-it/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [I blame my grandfather 100 percent for his oldest son's death. I don't think there's any ambiguity there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/i-blame-my-grandfather-100-percent-for-his-oldest-son-s-death-i-don-t/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [I think the relationship between social-dominance orientation in people and the extent to which they're made uncomfortable by ambiguity and novelty is really important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/i-think-the-relationship-between-social-dominance-orientation-in/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Yet again, an ancient answer echoes across the centuries: Listen! Listen to stories! For what stories do, above all else, is hold up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-kurtz/yet-again-an-ancient-answer-echoes-across-the-centuries-listen-listen/) [Ernest Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-kurtz/) > [My path to wisdom began when I stopped pretending to know things I didn't know. When I explicitly admitted to the limits of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/my-path-to-wisdom-began-when-i-stopped-pretending-to-know-things-i/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism - the failure to fail, and fail big, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-there-is-a-single-tragic-flaw-that-mars-our-biggest-enterprises-it/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [In order to be as free as I possibly can, in my own imagination, I can't take positions that are closed. Everything I've ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-order-to-be-as-free-as-i-possibly-can-in-my-own-imagination-i-can/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I've always been drawn to ambiguity in pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-ambiguity-in-pop-music/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I am in the utmost perplexity, yand have wished a hundred times, that if there is a A God, nature would manifest him without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/i-am-in-the-utmost-perplexity-yand-have-wished-a-hundred-times-that/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [There's a lot of ambiguity in life, and so often, our art is very neatly wrapped up at the end, when our lives never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-coon/there-s-a-lot-of-ambiguity-in-life-and-so-often-our-art-is-very/) [Carrie Coon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-coon/) > [“Man must not attempt to dispel the ambiguity of his being but, on the contrary, accept the task of realizing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/man-must-not-attempt-to-dispel-the-ambiguity-of-his-being-but-on-the/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) [Browse all 431 Ambiguity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ambiguity is the contract lawyer’s enemy. 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