IT conflicts: prevention, management and resolution
IT conflicts are inherently complex. Often there is a great knowledge and information asymmetry between providers and customers, causing parties to poorly understand each other. Our aim is always to first see if there are no possibilities to restore the relationship between two contract parties. Preferably, therefore, we are called in early in a (threatening) dispute. We can then contribute to a solution in which both parties agree.
Onderstaand zijn enkele essentiële punten opgenomen die van belang zijn voor het voorkomen, beheersen en oplossen van IT-conflicten.
Agreement
Drafting a good agreement is the best way to avoid conflicts. If parties have clear mutual expectations, which are also made measurable and linked to communication obligations, then parties will avoid surprises. In addition, the agreement between parties is (often) essential for the position of parties in an IT conflict.
Documentation and file construction
Wanneer er onverhoopt een conflict ontstaat, dan is het fundament van een sterke juridische positie in een IT-conflict (naast een goede overeenkomst) een grondige en nauwkeurige documentatie. Dit omvat het vastleggen van alle relevante communicatie, contracten, wijzigingsverzoeken en afgesproken deliverables en deadlines. Door een uitgebreid dossier op te bouwen, heeft u solide bewijsmateriaal om uw standpunt te onderbouwen, mocht een conflict ontstaan. Het opbouwen van documentatie dient derhalve door het gehele traject te gebeuren.
Default and settlement attempts
Before initiating legal proceedings, it is common and often mandatory to give the other party formal notice of default. This means that you must clearly state the nature of the breach or failure, what needs to be done to resolve it and within what time frame it must be resolved. In addition, it is advisable to try to settle the dispute out of court. This can be done through negotiations, mediation or some other form of alternative dispute resolution, which is often less costly and time-consuming than litigation. Especially if the parties still want to get on with each other, starting legal proceedings is often not the best way to achieve a good result.
Going to court
If all other options have been exhausted and no resolution has been reached, it may be necessary to go to court.
Our experience in the field of IT, and thus our ability to also understand the technical aspects of the issue, comes in very handy in litigation. A procedural document that leaves nothing to be desired, not only legally but also factually, is an important first step in proceedings. After all, it is often difficult for a judge to determine exactly what is going on in an IT dispute. The trick is therefore to reduce the often complex IT processes to a manageable whole, so that the judge can take the right elements and factors into account in his or her assessment. In the many proceedings we have conducted to date, we have found that we often have an edge over the other party in this respect.
Our role: your legal partner in IT disputes
Wij zijn gespecialiseerd in IT-recht en hebben een uitgebreide ervaring in het navigeren door IT-conflicten. We beginnen met preventie, door u te helpen bij het opstellen van sterke contracten en SLA's. Indien een project toch spaak loopt, ondersteunen we u bij de dossieropbouw en ingebrekestelling, begeleiden we u door eventuele onderhandelingen of schikkingsgesprekken en vertegenwoordigen we krachtig in de rechtbank, indien nodig.
