White Plains, New York, partners Eric Cheng and Peter Larkin and Daniel Tranen (Partner-St. Louis, MO) collaborated on “Sword or Shield? Using Your Contract to Mitigate Risk,” which appeared in the October 6, 2025, posting of the PLUS Blog. The authors explain that “An engagement letter should never be viewed as boilerplate. When drafted with care, it becomes the professional’s first line of defense against liability and a strategic weapon for enforcing rights. By precisely defining the client and scope; clearly setting costs and disclaimers; and incorporating waivers of consequential damages, limitations of liability, and strong dispute resolution provisions, professionals can transform a simple contract into both sword and shield.”