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Description

Contract Negotiation Techniques: Prepare, Argue and Close

Hold your position in a difficult contract negotiation without damaging the business relationship

  • 0.43 days — 3 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

In a contract negotiation, legal counsel knows the file inside out but often stands alone against counterparties who play on leverage, time or ambiguity. Concessions follow one another without anything in return, the discussion stalls on two clauses and the relationship hardens just when agreement was within reach. Drafting skills alone are no longer enough.

This three-hour advanced workshop focuses on conducting the exchange rather than drafting the clauses. It covers the preparation of negotiating room and walk-away points, the handling of objections and pressure tactics, the management of deadlock situations, and finally the locking-in of the agreement reached.

Learning objectives

  • Prepare your negotiating room and walk-away points before the meeting
  • Conduct the exchange while keeping control of the agenda
  • Respond to objections and pressure tactics without automatic concessions
  • Break a deadlock through a structured exchange of trade-offs
  • Formalise the agreement reached to avoid later renegotiation

What makes this programme different

Role-play exercises are based on real deadlocks brought by participants
Every concession is worked through with its quantified counterpart in AED
Debriefing analyses the negotiator's behaviour and not only the outcome

Programme

1Preparing the Negotiation

Knowing how far you can go

  • Ranking the issues at stake and the sensitive clauses
  • Defining negotiating room and the walk-away point
  • Anticipating the other party's positions
  • Allocating roles within the negotiating team

2Conducting the Exchange

Staying in control of the process

  • Opening, framing and managing the agenda
  • Questioning and listening for underlying interests
  • Responding to objections and pressure tactics
  • Handling concessions and trade-offs

3Breaking Deadlock and Closing

Moving past the impasse and securing the agreement

  • Identifying the real causes of the deadlock
  • Reframing techniques and escalation to a higher level
  • Restating and validating the points already agreed
  • Immediate written formalisation of the agreement

Who is it for

In-house counsel, lawyers, procurement managers and contract managers who already have negotiation experience.

Prerequisites

Prior experience of leading contract negotiations and a working knowledge of the structure of a commercial contract.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.