Agile Software Development Agreements: Navigating Complex Contracting Issues

This CLE course will guide corporate and technology counsel in evaluating the benefits and risks of agile software development and structuring essential provisions in agile software development agreements. The panel will discuss current trends in agile development methods, legal issues that arise with the arrangements, and strategies to avoid common contracting pitfalls.

Agile software development, an alternative to waterfall software development, is a preferred development methodology for many companies. Agile development allows software developers to collaborate with customers in establishing deliverables at smaller intervals throughout the development process rather than predicting the full scope, cost, and deliverable deadlines at the beginning of the project and risking a failure to deliver as promised.

Attorneys who draft, negotiate, or review agile software development agreements find them challenging because the flexible nature of agile development makes it difficult to anticipate, allocate, and guard against potential risks. However, there are effective ways to structure contract terms that can help counsel manage risks.

Listen as our authoritative panel of technology and corporate attorneys explains best practices when adopting agile software development methodology. The panel will evaluate the pros and cons of agile software development, discuss critical provisions to include in agile software agreements, and explain considerations for counsel to customers and developers during contract drafting to avoid legal pitfalls.