“Can you please eyeball the agreement?”

Lawyering

“Can you please eyeball the agreement?”

This is one of my least favourite instructions.

It usually means a high-level review is expected, nothing too detailed. But I know that in order for me to truly understand an agreement, I need to spend time reading the details.

In M&A deals, the devil is in the details.

You can’t grasp how a complex agreement works without going through the actual mechanics.

Those detailed, lengthy clauses are the ones that affect liability, indemnity and how (or when) the sellers get paid.

So when someone asks me to “eyeball” a document, I know I’m in for a deep dive.

This is also why I prefer fixed-fee reviews- so I can do the work properly without being questioned on the fees, and clients have certainty.

This post was first posted on LinkedIn on 22 May 2025.

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