Legal·70·Added 2026-08-26

Take a commercial view

A polite request to bypass compliance protocols and proceed with a risky endeavor because the quarterly sales targets are looming.

What they actually mean

"Let's pretend this rule doesn't exist."

Heard in the wild

"Let's take a commercial view on these terms and conditions so we can get the contract signed today."

More from Legal

Blackline

A comparative document used to track changes between contract drafts, designed primarily to help lawyers justify their fees by debating the nuance of a semicolon.

Could you send over the blackline showing the updates to the liability clause?

Translation

Show me exactly how many hours of work we can bill for correcting minor typos.

Read entry

Legal review

The procedural funnel through which bold business ideas are passed to ensure they return entirely free of risk, enthusiasm, or commercial viability.

"The press release is finalized, we are just waiting for a quick legal review."

Translation

"We are about to delete the only interesting paragraph."

Read entry

Wet signature

The archaic act of signing a physical piece of paper with actual ink, usually demanded by legal departments who view modern digital encryption with deep suspicion.

"We can't accept a DocuSign for this schedule; we will need a wet signature."

Translation

"Please locate a printer, a pen, and a scanner, and prepare to waste twenty minutes."

Read entry