作为调整用人单位与劳动者间劳动关系的法律规范，这部法律的颁布实施进一步明确了劳动合同双方的法律地位，为规范劳动合同双方当事人的权利和义务，保护劳动者的合法权益，提供了有力的法律保障。劳动合同法较之其他合同法律规范，是有着自己鲜明特点的，它更多的是体现了国家政府对劳动合同关系的干预，着重保护劳动合同关系一方当事人即劳动者的合法权益。这既体现了我国劳动合同立法的人性化，同时也与我国目前的法制建设的现状相适应，为构建和谐稳定的劳动关系，起到十分重要的作用。　

　　农民工是当代中国社会的一个特殊群体。近年来，随着改革开放的深入，经济结构的调整，我国煤炭、造纸、耐材、建材等行业发展迅速，吸引了大批外来农民到城市就业、创业和发展。这些人员来自农村，多数在煤矿、建材、耐材、建筑、餐饮、服务等行业和其他脏、累、苦、险等工种岗位工作，为城市的经济社会发展做出了巨大贡献，成为促进我国改革开放、推动经济发展、维护社会稳定的一支重要力量。但是，由于种种原因，这些农民工的合法权益屡屡受到侵犯，尤其是一些私营企业主，只重经济效益，不重视农民工的权益保护。因此，如何保护好农民工的权益成了一个亟待解决的问题。　

　　农民工权益保护存在的问题：　

　　一、劳动关系不规范。部分用人单位没有按《劳动法》要求与劳动者签订劳动合同，或合同到期后没有及时续签。部分已签订的劳动合同也存在着许多“不平等”和“不合理”的内容和条款。如一些从事建筑、采矿等危险行业的用工单位私下与农民工签订“事故责任自负”的“生死合同”。　

　　二、部分农民工劳动权利受到侵害。主要表现在：一是加班不给或少给加班工资。多数农民工劳动时间长、强度大、待遇低。一些私营企业，每天工作时间在10个小时以上，有的高达18个小时，超时工作现象严重。二是拖欠甚至拒绝给付工资和其它福利待遇。在农民工合法权益保护方面存在不少问题：如非法使用童工，不与农民工签订劳动合同，拖欠工资，收取抵押金，强迫劳动等行为。三是休息休假权利没有落实。不少用人单位在元旦、春节和国际劳动节等国家法定的节假日也不让农民工休息。四是工作环境恶劣，缺乏劳动保护。有的用人单位不给农民工配发必要的劳动保护用品，农民工经常进行“没遮拦”作业，导致农民工职业病发病率较高，容易造成伤亡事故。　

　　三、社会保障权利缺失。目前大部分用人单位还没有为农民工进行社会保险登记，不给农民工买社会保险，农民工在年老、患病、工伤、失业的情况下获得社会保障的权利没有保证。　

　　四、社会权益得不到尊重。主要表现在两个方面：一是社会歧视。农民工这一称谓不仅是对民工身份与职业分离的形象描述，也是一种歧视性称谓。随着农民工在城市经济生活中扮演的角色越来越重要，城市对农民工的认识正逐步深化。但是，城市对农民工的社会排斥现象仍然存在；二是农民工子女得不到良好教育。城市学校入学的户籍体制使很多农民工子女不能进入学校接受教育，既使能够进入学校学习也需要缴纳高额的借读费。　

　　那么，作为农民工应如何依法维权？我建议大家从以下几方面着手：　

　　一、提高自身素质，学法懂法用法。国家的立法本意是要化解劳资矛盾，构建和发展和谐稳定的劳动关系。但强势企业与弱势员工力量对比悬殊，本来就不平等。面对《劳动合同法》和强势企业的种种招式，广大员工必须认真学习文化知识及相关法律，做到学法懂法、知法用法，增强法制观念，弘扬法治精神，懂得运用法律武器保护自己利益，不断提高自身素质，一旦发生争议纠纷，要及时请工会维权或者聘请律师代理，寻求法律援助。　

　　二、依法签定合同，维护合法权益。　

　　（一）入职前，先签约。能签定书面合同的，就不搞口头约定；能签定劳动合同的，就不签定聘用合同或者劳务合同。因为劳动关系与劳务关系不同，前者是指在运用劳动能力、实现劳动过程中，劳动者与用人单位之间的社会劳动关系。发生工伤、工亡等劳动关系纠纷适用劳动法律，待遇较高，赔偿数额较多；劳务关系（如装空调、雇保姆、学生打工）适用《民法通则》区分过错责任，按民事赔偿处理。　

　　（二）签约时，劳动者对工作内容、地点、条件和劳动报酬等拥有知情权。用人单位不得设定担保或者收取抵押金，也不得扣押身份证或毕业证书。合同中如出现“工伤责任自负”、“试用期内不能结婚”和“合同期内不能怀孕生子”等条款违法无效，而且自始无效，就算双方签字了也不受法律保护。关于试用期的规定：劳动合同期限3个月以上不满一年的，试用期不得超过一个月；劳动合同期限一年以上不满3年的，试用期不得超过两个月；3年以上固定期限和无固定期限的，试用期不得超过6个月。劳动者在试用期内的工资不得低于本单位相同岗位最低档工资或者劳动合同约定工资的80％，并不得低于用人单位所在地的最低工资标准。今后用人单位不能再滥用“试用期”、“学徒工”，使用廉价劳动力了。　

　　（三）劳动者在满足“已在用人单位连续工作满十年的”或“连续订立二次固定期限劳动合同”等条件后，便可以与用人单位订立“无固定期限劳动合同”。 用人单位自用工之日起满一年不与劳动者订立书面劳动合同的，视为用人单位与劳动者已订立无固定期限劳动合同。用人单位在2008年以后与员工连续签订两次固定期限劳动合同并且续签劳动合同的，应当与员工续签永久合同。由于一些员工的合同期限并未到期，企业要与员工重签合同，就会面临职工拒签的法律风险，由此承担违法用工的责任。第82条规定：用人单位自用工之日起超过一个月不满一年未与劳动者订立书面劳动合同的，应当向劳动者每月支付二倍的工资。用人单位违反本法规定不与劳动者订立无固定期限劳动合同的，自应当订立无固定期限劳动合同之日起向劳动者每月支付二倍的工资。　

　　（四）劳动者有权抵制违章指挥。第32条规定：劳动者拒绝用人单位管理人员违章指挥、强令冒险作业的，不视为违反劳动合同。劳动者对危害生命安全和身体健康的劳动条件，有权对用人单位提出批评、检举和控告。拒绝违章冒险作业不属于“罢工”。　

　　（五）劳动者有权单方解除合同。劳动者提前30日以书面形式通知用人单位（在试用期内提前3天），可以解除劳动合同。用人单位以暴力、威胁或者非法限制人身自由，强迫劳动、强令冒险作业或者违章指挥的，劳动者可以即时解除合同，不须告知，也不必支付经济补偿金。但企业解雇员工就必须支付经济补偿金，除非员工有过错（如使用假身份证或假学历学位证书骗取就业的）。　

　　（六）对弱势群体特别保护。第42条规定；劳动者有下列情形的，企业不得解除劳动合同：①从事接触职业病危害作业的劳动者未进行离岗前职业健康检查，或者疑似职业病病人在诊断或者医学观察期间的；②在本单位患职业病或者因工负伤并被确认丧失或者部分丧失劳动能力的；③患病或者非因工负伤，在规定的医疗期内的；④女职工在孕期、产期、哺乳期的；⑤在本单位连续工作满15年，且距法定退休年龄不足5年的；⑥法律、行政法规规定的其他情形。 　

　　三、加入工会组织，依靠工会维权。工会是“职工之家”， 加入工会，就如回到温暖的家，一旦自己合法权益受到侵犯，就可找工会组织维权。维护劳动者权益是工会的神圣职责。各级工会要积极为广大劳动者说话办事，致力于解决实际困难。《劳动合同法》有11个条文赋予工会监督职权。如第43条规定：用人单位单方解除劳动合同，应当事先将理由通知工会。用人单位违反法律、行政法规规定或者劳动合同约定的，工会有权要求用人单位纠正。用人单位应当研究工会的意见，并将处理结果书面通知工会。　

　　四、注意收集证据，依法追讨工钱。被老板拖欠工资，应当通过正当途径解决，不能采取过激行为或者暴力手段，否则会走上违法犯罪道路，钱没有讨到手，自己先锒铛入狱。平时要注意收集相关证据，如合同书、花名册、电话簿、工资单、工资卡、出勤卡、工作牌号或者工作量单，必要时请同事出来做证，证明劳动者与用人单位确实存在劳动关系。企业拖欠工资有三种常见情况：①未及时给予报酬的；②未依法缴纳社保的；③加班不付加班费用。按照《劳动法》第44条规定：①平时加班的，支付150%的工资报酬，②双休日加班的，支付200%的工资报酬，③法定节假日加班的，支付300%的工资报酬。对于未及时足额支付劳动报酬的，员工可以到人民法院申请开出《支付令》，由法院督促企业还债，如果企业有正当理由，可以提出异议，企业无钱支付，不是正当理由。使用这种办法讨债，合法、方便快捷。债权人可以绕过繁琐的仲裁和诉讼程序，直接申请《支付令》，15日后申请强制执行。万一《支付令》失效，就要及时向劳动仲裁委员会申请仲裁，对仲裁决定不服的，应该在法定的诉讼时效内，向人民法院提起诉讼，追讨被拖欠的工资。否则，一旦超过诉讼时效，就有可能丧失胜诉权。　

　　这头四只脚的动物，要被当成活宝儿了，这可能是某些人类在大地震后思想和灵魂都得到净化的一种“可喜”表现，这是某些人类向前发展的一小步，却是整个猪类向前发展的一大步，这只叫“朱坚强”的猪，俨然成了它们猪类进化史上一头具有扭转历史发展格局的“猪祖先”，某些人类在为它骄傲的呼号。

　　这头叫“朱坚强”的猪，地震时可能是没有来得及转身，就被压住了，要不然，某些人类是可以给它冠名“猪跑跑”而非“朱坚强”的。既然“朱坚强”同志成为动物界与地震灾害“坚强”抗争的一个典型代表，那么它就有向世人“见证”地震灾害的光荣“义务”，要知道，博物馆的猪食也不是可以白吃了。至于“朱坚强”究竟是怎么想的，它究竟要向人类“见证”一个什么样的地震，那它还必须得和赐予它“朱”姓的某些人类进行深入的沟通，方能表达它的一切想法。

　　有了“朱坚强”，那几只死去的熊猫便显得极其的可怜了。国宝级的四脚动物，如今被一头曾经低贱的不能再低贱的猪抢了风头，死去的大熊猫的阴魂是否可以安息呢？大熊猫是珍贵的，但似乎注定又是不幸的，死去的就不提了，有一个叫好莱坞的地方，偏偏又在地震裂痕还未填平的时候整过来一个“功夫熊猫”，本来是个很好的“洋大熊猫”，可偏偏有些人类又出来说要把这只蓝眼睛的大熊猫赶回美国去。不幸的“功夫熊猫”，你枉有一身绝世武功，可你连头猪都不如，真是丢了你的熊脸。

　　在中国，有著名高等学校上海交通大学的学生也建议以“‘朱坚强’的原型编一个好玩又励志的动画片给孩子们看！励志动画片中应该包含这样一层含义：什么是‘坚忍不拔’？这只可爱的猪存活，就是最好的解释。”这或许让大多数精神正常的人类“恍然大悟”：地震中的猪，原来比人的精神更可贵；又有响当当的复旦大学中文系研究生在“朱坚强”身上得到启发：“想去认真理解和人类生存如此密切的动物的起源等基本知识。”中文系的研究生要开始研究物种起源了。其实如此看来，拍“朱坚强”的励志动画片纯属多余，某些人已经开始向猪学习、开始“励志”了。

　　眼下，陕西的“周老虎”可能要现出丑陋原形了，好莱坞的“功夫熊猫”来中国闹了个鬼哭狼嚎，灾区的“朱坚强”也让四脚动物们看到了大难不死的绝世好运，动物界可谓悲喜交加、热闹非凡啊！也许那头叫“朱坚强”的猪能够“见证”当下动物界所发生的一切事情，等它千年归西以后，回头一看，某些人类正在泪眼相送，大地震的“见证猪”，在某些人类感天动地的号哭中，离他而去。而某些人类“逼猪为人”的典故，真是可与“正龙拍虎”一起，永远成为中华历史的“光辉篇章”，完全有理由相信：“逼猪为人”、“正龙拍虎”将成为汉语成语永垂千古！

　　“猪生一世不为人，你枉为猪”，叫“朱坚强”的猪的伟大之处正在与它能与某些人类进行融洽的情感交流，也许有一天，人类就会以猪为荣，“人生一世不为猪，你枉为人”可能就会成为人类的励志格言，这要归功于当下某些人类无私的巨大贡献，他们开辟了人与猪进行直接情感交流的先河，因此他们也成了“人生一世不为猪，你枉为人”的首批忠诚实践者，“朱坚强”是伟大的，某些人类也是伟大的，他们伟大得让猪类五体投地！

　　Welcome to the 21st Century. Where practicing law requires us to don the garb of computers and the Internet. And where litigation is as costly as ever. Lawyer bills running $10,000 a month are not unusual in a hotly contested breach of contract lawsuit. With every word, phrase and sentence carrying the potential for winning or losing, the stakes are high. Simple logic, therefore, directs us to cautious and thoughtful drafting.

　　Drafting contracts is actually one of the simple pleasures of practicing law. Just 3 years ago at this Convention I presented 50 tips for contract writing. This article updates those tips in the context of our new tools and abilities. Following these tips could result in your writing a contract so clear no one will want to litigate it, saving your client from the trials and tribulations of litigation, truly a good reason to write the contract that stays out of court.

　　These tips apply to writing all kinds of agreements: office leases, real estate contracts, sales agreements, employment contracts, equipment leases, prenuptial agreements. They even apply to stipulations and settlements in litigation, where you want an agreement so clear that it avoids future litigation. Wherever clarity and simplicity are important, these tips will guide you there. The Appendix provides a few sample forms to illustrate these tips.

　　Before You Write the First Word

　　1. Ask your client to list the deal points. This can be in the form of a list, outline or narration. Doing this will help the client focus on the terms of the agreement.

　　2. Engage your client in "what if" scenarios. A good contract will anticipate many possible factual situations and express the parties' understanding in case those facts arise. Talking to your client about this will generate many issues you may not otherwise consider.

　　3. Ask your client for a similar contract. Frequently, clients have had similar transactions in the past or they have access to contracts for similar transactions.

　　4. Search your office computer or the Internet for a similar form. Many times you can find a similar form on your computer. It may be one you prepared for another client or one you negotiated with another lawyer. Just remember to find and replace the old client's name. Starting with an existing form saves time and avoids the errors of typing. Here are some Web sites where you can find forms: http://www.flcourts.org/ http://www.flabarrpptl.org/library.html http://www.gate.net/~wyman/flo.html http://www.westgroup.com http://www.lexis.com/

　　5. Obtain forms in books or CD-ROM. Typical forms of contracts can be found in form books, such as West's Legal Forms （a nationwide set） and Florida Jur Forms, as well as in treatises and Florida Bar CLE publications. These can be used as the starting point for drafting the contract or as checklists of typical provisions and wording to include in the contract. Many treatises and form books now come with forms on disk or CD-ROM.

　　6. Don't let your client sign a letter of intent without this wording. Sometimes clients are anxious to sign something to show good faith before the contract is prepared. A properly worded letter of intent is useful at such times. Just be sure that the letter of intent clearly states that it is not a contract, but that it is merely an outline of possible terms for discussion purposes. See Appendix C

　　Writing that First Word

　　7. Start with a simple, generic contract form. The form in Appendix A is such a form. It provides a solid starting point for the structure of the contract. Like a house, a contract must have a good, solid foundation.

　　8. State the correct legal names of the parties in the first paragraph. As obvious as this is, it is one of the most common problems in contracts. For individuals, include full first and last name, and middle initials if available, and other identifying information, if appropriate, such as Jr., M.D., etc. For corporations, check with the Secretary of State where incorporated.

　　9. Identify the parties by nicknames. Giving each party a nickname in the first paragraph will make the contract easier to read. For example, James W. Martin would be nicknamed "Martin."

　　10. Be careful when using legal terms for nicknames. Do not use "Contractor" as a nickname unless that party is legally a contractor. Do not use "Agent" unless you intend for that party to be an agent, and if you do, then you better specify the scope of authority and other agency issues to avoid future disagreements.

　　11. Include a blank for the date in the first paragraph. Putting the date in the first paragraph makes it easy to find after the contract is signed. It also makes it easy to describe the contract in other documents in a precise way, such as the "December 20, 2000, Contract for Sale of Real Estate."

　  12. Include to provide background. Recitals are the "whereas" clauses that precede the body of a contract. They provide a simple way to bring the contract's reader （party, judge or jury） up to speed on what the contract is about, who the parties are, why they are signing a contract, etc. The first paragraph in the body of the contract can incorporate the recitals by reference and state that they are true and correct. This will avoid a later argument as to whether or not the recitals are a legally binding part of the contract.

　　13. Outline the contract by writing out and underlining paragraph headings in their logical order. The paragraphs should flow in logical, organized fashion. It is not necessary to write them all at once； you can write them as you think of them. Try to group related concepts in the same paragraphs or in adjacent paragraphs. For example, write an employment contract's initial paragraph headings like this:Recitals. Employment. Duties. Term. Compensation.

　　14. Complete each paragraph by writing the contract terms that apply to that paragraph. This is simple. You learned this in elementary school. Just explain in words what the parties agree to do or not do paragraph by paragraph.

　　15. Keep a pad at hand to remember clauses to add. It is normal to think of additional clauses, wording and issues while writing a contract. Jot these down on a pad as you write； they are easily forgotten. Also keep your client's outline and other forms in front of you as you write, and check off items as you write them.

　　16. Repeat yourself only when repetition is necessary to improve clarity. Ambiguity is created by saying the same thing more than once； it is almost impossible to say it twice without creating ambiguity. Only if the concept is a difficult one should you write it in more than one way. In addition, if you use an example to clarify a difficult concept or formula, be sure that all possible meanings are considered and that the example is accurate and consistent with the concept as worded.

　　What to Watch Out for When Writing

　　17. Title it "Contract." Do not leave this one to chance. If your client wants a contract, call it a contract. A judge now sitting on the federal bench once ruled that a document entitled "Proposal" was not a contract even though signed by both parties. The lesson learned is, "Say what you mean." If you intend the document to be a legally binding contract, use the word "Contract" in the title.

　　18. Write in short sentences. Short sentences are easier to understand than long ones.

　　19. Write in active tense, rather than passive. Active tense sentences are shorter and use words more efficiently, and their meaning is more apparent. Example of active: "Sellers shall sell the Property to Buyer." Example of passive: "The Property shall be sold to Buyer by Seller."

　　20. Don't use the word "biweekly." It has two meanings: twice a week and every other week. The same applies to "bimonthly." Instead, write "every other week" or "twice a week."

　　21. Don't say things like "active termites and organisms". Avoid ambiguity by writing either "active termites and active organisms" or "organisms and active termites." When adding a modifier like "active" before a compound of nouns like "termites and organisms", be sure to clarify whether you intend the modifier to apply to both nouns or just the first one. If you intend it to apply to both, use parallel construction and write the modifier in front of each noun. If you intend it to apply to just one noun, place that one noun at the end of the list and the modifier directly in front of it.

　　22. Don't say "Lessor" and "Lessee." These are bad nicknames for a lease because they are easily reversed or mistyped. Use "Landlord" and "Tenant" instead. The same applies to lienor and lienee, mortgagor and mortgagee, grantor and grantee, licensor and licensee, party A and party B. This is where you can use your creativity to come up with a different nickname for a party, as long as you use it consistently throughout the contract.

　　23. Watch out when using "herein." Does "wherever used herein" mean anywhere in the contract or anywhere in the paragraph？ Clarify this ambiguity if it matters.

　　24. Write numbers as both words and numerals: ten (10). This will reduce the chance for errors.

　　25. When you write "including" consider adding "but not limited to." Unless you intend the list to be all-inclusive, you had better clarify your intent that it is merely an example.

  26. Don't rely on the rules of grammar. The rules of grammar that you learned in school are not universal. The judge or jury interpreting the meaning of your contract may have learned different rules. Write the contract so that no matter what rules they learned, the contract is clear and unambiguous. Follow this test for clear writing: Remove all periods and commas, then read it. Choosing the right words and placing them in the right place makes the writing clear without punctuation.

　　27. Don't be creative with words. Contract writing is not creative writing and is not meant to provoke reflective thoughts or controversies about nuances of meaning. Contract writing is clear, direct and precise. Therefore, use common words and common meanings. Write for the common man and the common woman.

　　28. Be consistent in using words. If you refer to the subject matter of a sales contract as "goods" use that term throughout the contract； do not alternately call them "goods" and "items." Maintaining consistency is more important than avoiding repetition. Don't worry about putting the reader to sleep； worry about the opposing lawyer a year from now hunting for ambiguities to get your contract into court.

　　29. Be consistent in grammar and punctuation. The rules of grammar and punctuation you learned may differ from others, but you had better be consistent in your use of them. Be aware of such things as where you put ending quote marks, whether you place commas after years and states, and similar variations in style.

　　30. Consider including choice of law, venue selection, and attorneys fee clauses. If your contract gets litigated, you might as well give your client some "ammunition" for the fight. Examples of these clauses appear in Appendices A and C.

　　Write for the Judge and Jury

　　31. Assume the reader is a knowledgeable layman. If your writing is so clear that a layman could understand it, then it is less likely it will end up in court.

　　32. Define a word by capitalizing it and putting it in quotes. Capitalizing a word indicates that you intend it to have a special meaning. The following are two sample clauses for defining terms:

　　Wherever used in this contract, the word "Goods" shall mean the goods that Buyer has agreed to purchase from Seller under this contract.

　　Buyer hereby agrees to purchase from Seller ten （10） frying pans, hereinafter called the "Goods."

　　33. Define words when first used. Instead of writing a section of definitions at the beginning or end of a contract, consider defining terms and concepts as they first appear in the contract. This will make it easier for the reader to follow.

　　34. Explain technical terms and concepts. Remember that the parties might understand technical jargon, but the judge and jury who interpret and apply the contract do not. Therefore, explain the contract's terms and concepts within the contract itself. Let the contract speak for itself from within its four corners.

　　Keep Your Client Informed While You Write

　　35. All contracts should come with a cover letter. This gives you a place to instruct your client on how to use and sign the contract.

　　36. Tell your client the ideas that come as you write. Many ideas will occur to you as you write: things that could go wrong with the deal, things that might happen in the future, things that happened in the past, ways to structure things better. Write these in your letter to the client.

　　37. Inform your client of the risks. Writing a letter to the client as you write the contract is the perfect way to inform the client of the risks and rewards of entering into the contract. Frequently, problems do not become apparent until time is spent trying to word a contract.

　　What To Do After the First Draft Is Written

　　38. Check spelling, paragraph numbering, and cross references both manually and with your word processor's spelling and grammar checker. This almost goes without saying today, especially since Microsoft Word now checks your spelling and grammar as you type. （Unfortunately it also changes "per stirps" to "per stupid" if you fail to watch it closely.） And now there are even computer programs that check contract documents for undefined terms. DealProof is packaged with Corel WordPerfect for law offices, and DocProofReader is available for download for MS Word 97 and 2000.

　　39. Let your secretary or paralegal read it. Not only will your staff frequently find spelling and grammar errors missed by your word processor's spell checker, but they will find inconsistencies and confusing areas that you missed when drafting.

  40. Stamp "Draft #1 6/22/2000" on it. This may be the first of many drafts, so avoid confusion early by numbering and dating all drafts at the top of the first page. It is also a good idea to write "DRAFT" across the face of each page to preclude the possibility of an impatient client signing a draft rather than waiting for the final version.

　　41. Let your client read it. Letting the client in on reading the first draft assures that your drafting will stay in tune with the client's wishes.

　　42. Save the drafts as multiple files on your computer. If you save the first draft on your computer as two files, you will have one file identified as the first draft and the other identified as the current version. This can be done by naming the current version "contract" and the first draft as "contract.d1." Then, subsequent versions can be named "contract.d2", "contract.d3," etc., where the "d" in the extension indicates draft. （Of course, if you're not using WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS, as I do, you can use long file names to show the contract name, draft number and draft date, such as "Contract Smith Jones draft 2 dated 6 22 2000."）

　　43. Compare the current version to prior versions. If you save draft versions, it is very easy to compare one version to another using the word processor's compare feature or using the CompareRite computer program. When you compare "contract.d1" to "contract.d2", save the comparison as "contract.c21" and print it to show the client what changes were made.

　　How to Print and Sign the Final Draft

　　44. Print the contract on 24 pound bond paper instead of 20 pound copier paper. Using a heavy bond paper will make it easy to tell the original contract from copies. It will also last longer.

　　45. Print on pages using the same paper, and if pages are changed, reprint the document using the same paper. This will avoid an argument that pages were substituted after the contract was signed.

　　46. Sign the contract in blue ink, not black ink. This, too, will make it easier to differentiate the signed original contract from photocopies.

　　47. Initial every page of the contract. Having each party initial each page of the contract will make it less likely that anyone could claim a page was changed after the contract was signed.

　　48. Identify the parties and witnesses who sign by providing blank lines below their signature lines for their printed names and addresses. This will make it easier to find the witnesses if the contract is contested. And remember to include two witnesses for commercial leases.

　　49. Be sure that corporate officers include their titles, the corporation name and the word "as." Failure to do this can result in personal liability of the officer. The proper way to sign in a representative capacity is as follows:

　　ABC Corporation, a Florida corporation

　　By:____________________________________

　　John Jones, as its President

　　50. Add a notary clause that complies with the notary law. The notary acknowledgement in Appendix B is such a clause.

　　Concluding Advice

　　If these 50 tips don't keep your contracts out of court, try mastering Strunk & White's Elements of Style*. I hear it's real handy in appellate work.

Appendix A （Basic Form of Contract）

　　CONTRACT

　　AGREEMENT made this _______ day of ____________, 20_____, between ______________________, hereinafter called "_______________", and ______________________, hereinafter called "_____________".

　　WHEREAS, ________________；

　　WHEREAS, ________________； and

　　WHEREAS, ________________；

　　NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises made herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged by each party, the parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

　　1. Recitals. The parties agree that the foregoing recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein by this reference.

　　2. __________________.
　　___. Miscellaneous. Time is of the essence of this agreement. This agreement is made in the State of Florida and shall be governed by Florida law. This is the entire agreement between the parties and may not be modified or amended except by a written document signed by the party against whom enforcement is sought. This agreement may be signed in more than one counterpart, in which case each counterpart shall constitute an original of this agreement. Paragraph headings are for convenience only and are not intended to expand or restrict the scope or substance of the provisions of this agreement. Wherever used herein, the singular shall include the plural, the plural shall include the singular, and pronouns shall be read as masculine, feminine or neuter as the context requires. The prevailing party in any litigation, arbitration or mediation relating to this agreement shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys fees from the other party for all matters, including but not limited to appeals. Pinellas County, Florida, shall be proper venue for any litigation involving this agreement. This agreement may not be assigned or delegated by either party without the prior written consent of the other party.

  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have signed this agreement as of the day and year first above written.

　　____________________________ ________________________（Seal）

　　____________________________

　　Witnesses

　　____________________________ ________________________（Seal）

　　____________________________

　　Witnesses

　　Appendix B （Basic Form of Notary Acknowledgement）

　　STATE OF FLORIDA

　　COUNTY OF ____________

　　The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this _____ day of __________________, 20____, by _________.

　　Notary Public-State of Florida:

　　sign_________________________________

　　print________________________________

　　Personally Known _____； OR Produced Identification ______

　　Type of Identification Produced: ____________________________

　　Affix Seal Below:

　　Appendix C （Sample Letter of Intent Form）

　　LETTER OF INTENT FOR POSSIBLE

　　CONTRACT FOR SALE OF ASSETS

　　Possible Seller: _____________________________

　　Possible Buyer: _____________________________

　　Business: _____________________________

　　Date: ______________, 20_____

　　This is a non-binding letter of intent that contains provisions that are being discussed for a possible sale of the Business named above from the possible Seller named above to the possible Buyer named above. This is not a contract. This is not a legally binding agreement. This is merely an outline of possible contract terms for discussion purposes only. This is being signed in order to enable the Possible Buyer to apply for financing of the purchase price. This letter of intent is confidential and shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the parties and their employees, attorneys and accountants and the possible lenders of the Possible Buyer. The terms of the transaction being discussed are attached hereto, but the terms （and the possible sale itself） are not binding unless and until they are set forth in a written contract signed by Possible Seller and Possible Buyer. The word "shall" is used in the attached terms only as an example of how a contract might read, and it does not mean that the attached terms are or ever will be legally binding.

　　____________________________ ________________________

　　____________________________

　　Witnesses

　　____________________________ ________________________

　　____________________________

　　Witnesses

　　Appendix D （Sample Hourly Attorney's Fee Agreement for Probate）

　　IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ______________ COUNTY, FLORIDA

　　PROBATE DIVISION

　　FILE NUMBER _________

　　IN RE: ESTATE OF

　　______________________,

　　DECEASED.

　　______________________________________

　　ATTORNEY'S HOURLY FEE AGREEMENT

　　AGREEMENT made between the following persons:

　　Personal Representative: _____________________________

　　Attorney: _____________________________

　　Residuary Beneficiaries: _____________________________

　　Whereas, Attorney is about to undertake the performance of substantial legal services on behalf of the Personal Representative, for which Attorney shall be paid fees and costs, and the Florida Bar's Rules of Professional Conduct encourage attorneys and clients to enter into fee agreements at the commencement of representation in order to avoid the possibility of misunderstandings, and the Florida Probate Code requires that attorney fee agreements be signed by the Personal Representative and by the persons bearing the impact of the fees；

　　Now therefore, in consideration of their mutual promises stated herein, the parties hereby agree that:

　　1. Hourly Rates. The Personal Representative has retained Attorney to provide legal services to the Personal Representative for administration of the above probate estate in Florida at hourly rates of $_____ for attorney time and $_____ for paralegal time for all matters handled, including but not limited to ordinary services and extraordinary services.

  2. Limitation on Fees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Attorney agrees not to bill fees for ordinary services of Attorney that would exceed the percentage fees provided for in Florida Statutes Section 733.6171.

　　3. Monthly Bills. Fees shall be billed by Attorney and paid by the Personal Representative out of the assets of the Estate on a monthly basis. Costs incurred for copies, postage, long distance, fax, FedEx, filing fees, and other items shall also be billed and paid at least monthly.

　　4. No Statutory Percentage Fees. The parties agree that the provisions of this Fee Agreement replace the provisions of the applicable statutes and case law and that Attorney will not charge fees based upon a percentage of the assets or income of the probate estate. （Florida Statutes Section 733.6171 provides that the following is presumed to be reasonable compensation for ordinary services by the attorney for the Personal Representative: $1,500 for the first $40,000 plus $750 for the next $30,000 plus $750 for the next $30,000 plus 3% of the rest of the inventory value and income of the probate estate for ordinary services. The statute also provides that the attorney, personal representative and persons bearing the impact of the compensation may agree to compensation determined in a different manner. The statute also provides that attorneys are entitled to additional compensation for extraordinary services, such as real estate, adversary proceedings, homestead, tax matters, business, etc.）

　　5. Fee Proceedings. If the matter of fees and costs is submitted to the Court for review or determination at any time, fees and costs shall be billed by and paid to Attorney for such fee proceeding on the same basis as other fees under this Agreement； i.e., billed and paid at least monthly. In addition, attorneys testifying as expert witnesses on the matter of fees shall be entitled to fees at their usual hourly rates, which shall be paid out of the estate.

　　6. Joint Representation. The parties agree that Attorney represents ________________ in his or her capacity as Personal Representative of the Estate and also in his or her capacity as Successor Trustee of THE ______________ TRUST. The parties understand the potential conflict of interest arising from representation of multiple parties in multiple roles. They understand that if a conflict should ever develop between the multiple clients concerning the Estate or Trust, then Attorney would not be able to represent either of the clients in that conflict. The Personal Representative, Trustee and residuary beneficiaries are encouraged to engage his or her own separate lawyer before signing this agreement if they desire legal advice concerning this Fee Agreement or concerning any other aspect of the probate estate or Trust.

　　Under penalties of perjury, we declare that we have read the foregoing, and the facts alleged are true, to the best of our knowledge and belief.

　　Attorney:

　　______________________________

　　Date:_________, 20____

　　Personal Representative:

　　______________________________

　　Date:_________, 20____

　　Residuary Beneficiary:

　　______________________________

　　Date:__________, 20____

  具有讽刺意味的是，这部法律的第一个争议居然是这部法律的效力问题，即新律师法与刑事诉讼法的法律位阶关系问题。一种意见认为，“根据宪法和立法法，全国人大常委会有权修改律师法和刑事诉讼法。”另一种意见认为，“刑诉法与律师法不是同一位阶的法律，前者属于是上位法，后者属于是下位法，刑诉法效力高于律师法。”

  从新律师的有些条文来看，如果不是经过专门研究律师法专家很难理解。

  新律师法第三十四条规定：“受委托的律师自案件审查起诉之日起，有权查阅、摘抄和复制与案件有关的诉讼文书及案卷材料。受委托的律师自案件被人民法院受理之日起，有权查阅、摘抄和复制与案件有关的所有材料。”条文中“与案件有关的诉讼文书及案卷材料”和“与案件有关的所有材料”到底有什么区别，专家们在会议上存在争论，从立法者的意思来看，前者是指诉讼文书和装入案卷将移送到法院的材料，后者还包括没有装入案卷、不准备在诉讼中使用的材料。专门研究律师法的博士生导师顾永忠教授也认为，这两个概念“解释起来有很大空间”。而且，“所有材料”是否应当有例外，也是专家“激烈争论”的问题。

  另外，新律师法第三十八条规定：“律师应当保守在执业活动中知悉的国家秘密、商业秘密，不得泄露当事人的隐私。律师对在执业活动中知悉的委托人和其他人不愿泄露的情况和信息，应当予以保密。但是，委托人或者其他人准备或者正在实施的危害国家安全、公共安全以及其他严重危害他人人身、财产安全的犯罪事实和信息除外。”这是所谓“律师保守执业秘密”条款。

  条文中“在执业活动中知悉的委托人和其他人不愿泄露的情况和信息”显然包括了过去的犯罪信息，即公诉方没有掌握的能够证明委托人犯罪的证据在内，也包括案件涉及的“其他人不愿泄露的情况和信息”。 即修订后的《律师法》把律师在执业活动中知悉的委托人、其他人已经发生的犯罪事实及已经存在的犯罪信息列入了律师保密义务的范围。而对办案过程中新发生的或者可能发生的犯罪信息则不应当保密。“其他人”是什么含义，是共同犯罪人还是办案中了解的任何人的犯罪信息？“但书”（“但是”）前后是以“情况和信息”发生的时间划线还是以犯罪的范围划线呢？“危害国家安全、公共安全以及其他严重危害他人人身、财产安全的犯罪”是否意味着没有列举的其他类型的犯罪不包括在内。“严重”一词限制的对象是什么，是说“严重危害他人人身、财产安全的犯罪”之外还有“不严重”的危害他人人身、财产安全的犯罪，还是指“严重危害他人人身、财产安全”而构成了犯罪的所有情况呢？

  这一系列的迷惑，让普通的公民看到这个条款时仿佛掉进了云雾之中。我想请问看到我这篇文章的读者，你也许是学历很高的人，甚至于是法学专业的毕业生，但是你能准确地理解吗？

  产生“看不懂的法律”的原因有很多，因为法律通俗化也有它固有的弊端。杨立新教授曾说，“在立法上要提倡法律通俗化的国家和地区，虽然没有人统计过，但是肯定为数不多，我们就是其中之一。在各国、各地区的立法中，德国的法律深奥，台湾的法律典雅，日本的法律简洁，是有口皆碑的。”为了法律的准确，避免任意解释，法律确实必须用规范的法律语言，从而必然不可能是完全大众化的，但是至少他应当准确、至少应当让专家们能够有大致一致的理解，否则，法律就无法实施。

  为此，各国的立法，尽可能用规范的语言作相对祥细的规定，以我所学习和研究的刑事诉讼法为例，2001年的《俄罗斯刑事诉讼法》条文长达15万字，而我国现行《刑事诉讼法》只有2.4万字，但是我们有超过15万字的“六部门规定”和公检法三家分别作的司法解释，但这些解释之间却存在矛盾。原因之一就在于立法让人看不懂，不得不让司法解释来完成立法让人看懂的使命。

  法律的目的是实施，实施的前提是让看到它的人能够理解。世界历史上第一部法典，被认为是近4000年前的古巴比伦的汉穆拉比法典，它是用古老的巴比伦方言“阿卡得语”写成的，国王汉谟拉比命令把法典刻在石柱上，竖立在巴比伦马都克大神殿里，让普通老百姓阅读。而我们今天的新律师法恐怕只有放在法学家的书柜里了。这样一部让法律专家争议颇多的法律，是一部至少在技术上失败的法律。(本文转载自中国宪法行政法律网 高一飞)

来不及抓住，已离你远去。

这一瞬，来的突然，毫无防备，已在你身后。

留下了什么？连回忆都懒的去翻动。。。

不禁打了个冷颤，还有什么能留在我身边？

一年前，以为会满意地往前跑，

一年后，一切随风而逝，连遗憾都没有踪迹。

唯一值得纪念，一年后的那天下雨了，

雨点打在前车玻璃上，溅起的水花连雨刷都甩不走。

看不清前路，看不清周围。

哪里开始，哪里结束。路径却成了过路。。。

我清楚，那落下的雨，不是我的眼泪。。。

一切随风而逝。。。而已。。。

针对劳动争议处理面临的新特点、新情况和新问题，这部法律完善了劳动争议处理体制，强化了调解，规范了仲裁，对以往规定进行了不少突破，凸显了诸多亮点。对于广大企业来说，只有规范用工制度，将企业内部规章制度完善、科学才能适应5月1日到来的危机。以下是对该法的重点解读，以期对企业有所帮助。

亮点一：申请仲裁的时效期间延长为一年

『法条』

 劳动争议申请仲裁的时效期间为一年。仲裁时效期间从当事人知道或者应当知道其权利被侵害之日起计算。劳动关系存续期间因拖欠劳动报酬发生争议的，劳动者申请仲裁不受本条第一款规定的仲裁时效期间的限制；但是，劳动关系终止的，应当自劳动关系终止之日起一年内提出。（第27条）

『解读』

 按照《劳动法》规定，仲裁时效为60天。当初这样立法的目的是为了尽快来解决劳动争议，结果却导致实践中时效太短不利于保护劳动者权益的局面。全国人大常委会法工委的一份报告显示：近年来，劳动仲裁不予受理的案件增加较多，其中多数是因为超过了仲裁时效。由于时效问题很多劳动者不得不无奈地放弃仲裁途径，多年前被拖欠的劳动报酬往往也是追索困难，甚至不了了之。而该法将仲裁时效延长为一年无疑为劳动者带来更多的操作时间，特别是对于追索劳动报酬情况，只要劳动者没有离开用人单位，双方劳动关系还存在、还继续，哪怕是10年前单位拖欠的工资也可以通过仲裁要回来。此外，该法还规定了仲裁时效的中断和中止制度。即仲裁时效会因当事人一方向对方当事人主张权利，或者向有关部门请求权利救济，或者对方当事人同意履行义务而中断。从中断时起仲裁时效重新计算。因不可抗力或者有其它正当理由，当事人不能申请仲裁的，仲裁时效中止。从中止时效的原因消除之日起，仲裁时效继续计算。这些规定都给予劳动者足够的时间来提起仲裁，防止因为超过时效这一技术性问题而无法通过仲裁来维护自己的合法权益。

亮点二：劳动争议仲裁实行免费

『法条』

劳动争议仲裁不收费。劳动争议仲裁委员会的经费由财政予以保障。

（第53条）

『解读』

 据了解，目前劳动争议仲裁委员会收取处理费的标准全国并不完全一致，没有争议金额的案件大多按固定标准收取几百元的费用，有争议金额的则实行累加收费。从今年5月1日起，该法正式实施后，我国将全面推行劳动争议仲裁免费制度，不再收取任何处理费用。这无疑将大大减轻劳动者的经济负担，降低劳动者的维权成本。此外，从长远来看，劳动争议仲裁免费制度的引导作用也不可小觑，可以起到间接鼓励劳动者积极主动维权，对违法用工的用人单位形成压力，迫使他们自觉遵守法律，最终达到构建和谐劳动关系的目的。

亮点三：部分劳动争议实行一裁终局

『法条』    

 下列劳动争议，除本法另有规定的外，仲裁裁决为终局裁决，裁决书自作出之日起发生法律效力：

(一)追索劳动报酬、工伤医疗费、经济补偿或者赔偿金，不超过当地月最低工资标准十二个月金额的争议；

(二)因执行国家的劳动标准在工作时间、休息休假、社会保险等方面发生的争议。（第47条）

劳动者对本法第四十七条规定的仲裁裁决不服的，可以自收到仲裁裁决书之日起十五日内向人民法院提起诉讼。（第48条）

 用人单位有证据证明本法第四十七条规定的仲裁裁决有下列情形之一，可以自收到仲裁裁决书之日起三十日内向劳动争议仲裁委员会所在地的中级人民法院申请撤销裁决：

　　(一)适用法律、法规确有错误的；

　　(二)劳动争议仲裁委员会无管辖权的；

　　(三)违反法定程序的；

　　(四)裁决所根据的证据是伪造的；

　　(五)对方当事人隐瞒了足以影响公正裁决的证据的；

　　(六)仲裁员在仲裁该案时有索贿受贿、徇私舞弊、枉法裁决行为的。

　　人民法院经组成合议庭审查核实裁决有前款规定情形之一的，应当裁定撤销。

仲裁裁决被人民法院裁定撤销的，当事人可以自收到裁定书之日起十五日内就该劳动争议事项向人民法院提起诉讼。（第49条）

『解读』

    根据《劳动法》等规定，我国先行的劳动争议处理机制可以概括为“一调一裁两审制”，即发生劳动争议后，当事人可自愿选择调解解决纠纷，但在向法院提起诉讼前，则必须经过仲裁程序。如果完整的走完这一处理机制可能需要几个月甚至几年的时间，不少劳动者抱怨程序繁琐、时间漫长、得不到及时的法律救济。而一些用人单位也利用恶意诉讼来拖延时间，加大劳动者的维权成本。

 针对这种情况，该法在保留了仲裁这一诉讼前置程序的基础上，对部分劳动争议实行一裁终局，裁决书自作出之日起发生法律效力。也就是说，一裁终局后不必再上法院，不必再走完劳动争议处理的全部程序，这样就少了一个时间比较长的诉讼环节，案件的处理周期就可以大大缩短，劳动争议有望得到尽快解决。

一裁终局的劳动争议有两类：一类是数额不大的金钱偿付类案件，虽然数额少，但直接关乎劳动者的生活，一裁终局可以急劳动者之所急；一类是有明确国家标准的案件，争议之所以产生往往是用人单位的恶意行为所致，一裁终局可以防止用人单位恶意拖延时间。

一裁终局毕竟也有对当事人产生“不公正”的时候，为了提供救济，该法对于劳动者和用人单位表现出了截然不同的态度。对于劳动者而言可以说很是宽松，只要对于仲裁裁决不服，就可以自收到仲裁裁决书之日起15日内向法院提起诉讼;对于用人单位而言可以说很是严格，只有在有证据证明存在第49条6种情形之一的情况下，才可以自收到仲裁裁决书之日起30日之内向劳动争议仲裁委员会所在地的中级法院申请撤销裁决。

亮点四：仲裁庭裁决期限缩短一半

『法条』

仲裁庭裁决劳动争议案件，应当自劳动争议仲裁委员会受理仲裁申请之日起四十五日内结束。案情复杂需要延期的，经劳动争议仲裁委员会主任批准，可以延期并书面通知当事人，但是延长期限不得超过十五日。逾期未作出仲裁裁决的，当事人可以就该劳动争议事项向人民法院提起诉讼。（第43条）

『解读』

根据原有规定，仲裁期限一般为74天，经过批准，可以延长，最长可以延长到104天。

而根据该法规定，仲裁期限一般为50天，其中5天是受理的批准期限，45天的仲裁期限。如果需要延长，最长可以延长到60天。

前后相比，周期几乎算短一半。如此规定不仅可以极大提高仲裁的效率，而且在一定程度上也会减少劳动者维权的时间成本。