Parisi Law Firm drafts, reviews, and litigates contracts for contractors, trades, and small businesses across Jefferson and Northeast Georgia. A clear, well-drafted contract is your first and best defense against non-payment, scope disputes, and lawsuits. Call (404) 594-5130 for a consultation before you sign — or after a deal has gone wrong.
Most contract disputes in the trades don't start with a bad actor — they start with a bad contract. A scope of work that was never nailed down. A change order that was agreed to over text but never signed. A payment schedule that left too much room for interpretation. By the time the disagreement surfaces, you're arguing about what was actually promised, and that's an expensive argument to have.
Jerry Parisi works with contractors, subcontractors, and small-business owners across Jefferson, Jackson County, and Northeast Georgia to put contracts in place that protect your business from day one — and to step in when a contract you already signed has broken down. Whether you need a template built for your business, a document reviewed before you sign it, or a breach pursued in court, we handle the full lifecycle of your business agreements.
The contracts we handle
We draft and review the everyday agreements that keep a trade business running, tailored to how you actually work rather than a generic form pulled off the internet.
- Customer and service agreements for residential and commercial work
- Subcontractor agreements that define scope, schedule, and payment flow-down
- Vendor and supplier contracts, including material-supply and equipment terms
- Change-order forms and procedures that hold up when a job scope shifts
- Purchase orders and standard terms of sale
Essential clauses every trade contract needs
A contract doesn't have to be long to be effective, but it does need to cover the issues that actually cause disputes on job sites. These are the provisions we make sure are in every contract we draft or review for a contractor or trade business.
- Scope of work — a specific, written description of exactly what is and isn't included
- Payment terms and schedule — draw amounts, due dates, deposits, and what triggers final payment
- Change-order process — how scope changes are requested, priced, and approved in writing
- Dispute resolution — how disagreements get resolved, including notice and negotiation steps
- Warranty terms — what's covered, for how long, and what voids it
- Insurance and indemnity — coverage requirements and who bears responsibility for what
- Lien-waiver provisions — whether waivers are conditional or unconditional, and when each applies
Common contract disputes in the trades
Certain disputes come up again and again in construction and trade work. Scope creep is the most common — a customer expects work that was never priced into the original agreement, or a contractor performs extra work without getting it approved in writing first. Payment disputes follow close behind, whether that's a client withholding payment over a quality complaint, slow-paying past the terms of the contract, or disputing a final invoice after a change order was verbally approved but never documented.
We also see disputes over delay and scheduling, defective or incomplete work claims, disagreements about who supplied which materials, and subcontractor disputes over flow-down terms from a general contractor's agreement with the owner. In almost every one of these situations, the outcome turns on what the contract actually says — which is why getting the document right up front matters as much as knowing your rights once a dispute has already started.
Breach-of-contract remedies in Georgia
When a customer, contractor, or vendor breaches a contract, Georgia law gives you options for recovering what you're owed. Depending on the situation, remedies can include monetary damages meant to put you in the position you'd have been in had the contract been performed, specific performance requiring the other party to carry out their obligations, or termination of the agreement combined with a claim for losses caused by the breach.
The right remedy — and the right way to pursue it — depends on the specific terms of your contract, what was actually promised, and what documentation exists. We evaluate your agreement and the facts of the breach to build a strategy aimed at getting you paid or made whole, whether that means a demand letter, negotiation, or filing suit.
How we help
Parisi Law Firm supports Northeast Georgia contractors and small businesses at every stage of a contract's life. We draft agreements built around how your business actually operates, review contracts before you sign so you understand exactly what you're agreeing to, and negotiate terms on your behalf when a deal needs adjusting before it's final.
When a contract has already been breached, we pursue the remedies available to you — from a firm demand letter that resolves the dispute without litigation to filing suit and taking the case through trial when that's what it takes to get you paid. You work directly with Jerry Parisi, not a case manager, from the first call through resolution.
Handshake deal vs. written contract
| Issue | Handshake deal | Written contract |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of work | Open to interpretation and memory | Defined in writing, hard to dispute |
| Payment terms | Assumed, easily disputed | Set schedule, amounts, and due dates |
| Change orders | Verbal, often forgotten | Documented and priced before work proceeds |
| Proof in a dispute | Your word against theirs | Signed document both sides agreed to |
| Lien rights | Harder to establish and enforce | Supports a clean lien and waiver record |
| Legal leverage | Weak — little to show a court | Strong — clear breach and damages |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a written contract for every job?
Yes. Even small jobs benefit from a written agreement covering scope, price, and payment terms. Verbal agreements are difficult to prove and enforce, and Georgia's contractor-licensing rules can further limit your options if you're operating without proper documentation. A short written contract protects you far more than a handshake.
What clauses should every contractor's contract include?
At minimum: a specific scope of work, a clear payment schedule, a change-order process, warranty terms, insurance and indemnity provisions, and lien-waiver language specifying conditional versus unconditional waivers. These clauses address the issues that most often turn into disputes on trade and construction jobs.
Can I get out of a contract I already signed?
Sometimes — it depends on the contract's terms and the circumstances, including whether the other party breached first, whether there's a valid termination clause, or whether the agreement itself has a defect. We review the specific contract and facts before advising you on your options.
What are my options if a client breaches our contract?
Options typically include a formal demand letter, negotiation, and filing suit for damages or other remedies available under Georgia law. Which path makes sense depends on the amount at stake, your contract's terms, and the strength of your documentation. We evaluate the situation and pursue the most effective route to get you paid.
Should a lawyer review my contract before I sign it?
Yes, especially for larger jobs, subcontractor agreements, or any contract with unfamiliar terms. A quick review before you sign can catch one-sided payment terms, missing change-order language, or unfavorable indemnity clauses — problems that are far cheaper to fix before signing than after a dispute starts.