Risk is an inevitable element of every contract. However, there are ways to make a contract safer, more efficient, and less prone to disputes. Certain protective mechanisms can already discourage a contracting party from breaching the agreement or engaging in disputes at the time the contract is concluded.

If a contract is built on the following model—regardless of its subject matter—it is likely to be functional and effectively enforceable: the elements listed in the first column have little value without their counterparts in the second column. This mirrors life itself: things work best in pairs.