The Guild legal staff reviews members' publishing and agency contracts, advises in the case of disputes, and holds seminars and symposia on issues of importance to writers.
Every member is encouraged to contact the office for guidance during contract negotiation.
The contract services staff teaches members to negotiate with publishers and agents, and guides members on how to proceed in the case of disputes. The staff will review a publishing or agency contract before the contract is signed to explain terms and suggest improvements. Having an understanding of industry standards improves negotiating strength, and may result in contract terms which are more favorable to our members. In addition, the Guild lobbies on the national and local levels on behalf of all authors on issues such as copyright, taxation, freedom of expression and electronic rights. The Authors Guild Recommended Contract Negotiation Tips are part of the longer seventy-five point contract review service given by Authors Guild attorneys for Authors Guild members.