Lisälausumat

Lisälausumat are additional clauses appended to contracts or documents in Finnish legal drafting. They function as addenda that supplement or modify the terms of the main agreement. The term is formed from lisä- meaning “additional” and lausuma meaning “statement” or “clause,” with the plural lisälausumat.

They are used when standard templates do not cover a particular issue or when parties want to tailor terms for a specific transaction. They can be included as a separate document attached to the contract, as a separate section, or as an amendment. For validity, lisälausumat must be agreed by all parties and should be integrated in the sense of referencing and being consistent with the main agreement. Often an integration or whole agreement clause determines whether the addenda form part of the contract.

Content typically addresses topics such as payment terms, liability, confidentiality, data processing, governing law, venue for dispute resolution, performance criteria, or special conditions for delivery. Clarity is essential; clauses should be drafted to avoid ambiguity and contradictions with existing terms. They should include effective dates, scope, and, if necessary, transition provisions.

In practice, lisälausumat resemble addenda or riders found in many legal systems. They should be handled with the same care as the main contract, ideally reviewed by counsel, and properly numbered, dated, and signed.