Consultancy and Professional Services Agreements (CON-026) Training Course

Consultancy and Professional Services Agreements

Organisations rely on consultants, advisers, designers, engineers, auditors and other professionals for expertise they do not have in-house. Professional services…

5 daysClassroom or online

49Upcoming dates

12Cities

£2,250Fees from

Course overview

Introduction

Organisations rely on consultants, advisers, designers, engineers, auditors and other professionals for expertise they do not have in-house. Professional services contracts are different from contracts for goods or works: the output is often advice or design, quality is harder to define, and the professional's duty of care, independence and liability are central concerns.

This Consultancy and Professional Services Agreements training course explains how to procure, draft and manage contracts for professional services. Participants learn how to define scope and deliverables, choose fee structures, set the standard of care, manage key personnel and conflicts of interest, allocate intellectual property, limit liability, require professional indemnity insurance and manage performance and change.

The course is relevant to both clients appointing consultants and firms providing professional services.

Course Objectives

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

Explain the distinctive features of professional services contracts
Define scope, deliverables and assumptions clearly
Select appropriate fee structures and payment terms
Understand the standard of care and fitness for purpose
Manage key personnel, independence and conflicts of interest
Allocate intellectual property and confidentiality obligations
Address liability limits and professional indemnity insurance
Manage consultant performance, change and termination

Target Audience

This training course is suitable for a wide range of professionals, including:

Procurement and contract managers
Clients appointing consultants and advisers
Consultancy and professional services firm managers
Project managers
In-house legal advisers
Public sector commissioning officers

Training Methodology

The course uses sample appointment documents, scope definitions and case studies. Participants draft scope and deliverable descriptions, compare fee models, review liability and insurance provisions and manage simulated performance issues with a consultant, considering both client and consultant viewpoints.

Target Competencies

Scope definition
Fee structure selection
Standard of care understanding
Liability and insurance review
Consultant performance management
Change and variation control

Course outline

1Day One: Professional Services Contracting

Types of professional and consultancy services
How professional services differ from goods and works
Standard forms of appointment in overview
Procurement of consultants and selection criteria
Common problems in professional services contracts
Client and consultant expectations
Exercise: reviewing a sample consultancy appointment

2Day Two: Scope, Deliverables and Fees

Defining scope, objectives and deliverables
Stating assumptions, exclusions and client inputs
Lump sum, time charge and percentage fees
Milestone payments and success-based fees
Expenses, disbursements and rate escalation
Avoiding scope creep and fee disputes
Workshop: drafting scope and deliverables

3Day Three: Standard of Care and Key Obligations

Reasonable skill and care compared with fitness for purpose
Key personnel and replacement provisions
Independence and conflicts of interest
Confidentiality and data protection
Intellectual property in reports and designs
Reliance and third-party rights
Exercise: analysing standard of care clauses

4Day Four: Liability and Insurance

Limitation of liability for professional advice
Net contribution and proportionate liability clauses
Professional indemnity insurance requirements
Duration of liability and limitation periods
Collateral warranties and assignment of rights
Negotiating liability provisions with consultants
Workshop: reviewing liability and insurance terms

5Day Five: Managing Consultants

Mobilisation and kick-off with consultants
Monitoring progress, quality and deliverables
Managing changes to scope and fees
Handling poor performance and disputes
Suspension, termination and handover of work
Evaluating consultant performance at the end
Personal action plan for professional services contracts

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Consultancy and Professional Services Agreements course?

The course runs over 5 days of classroom training, usually Monday to Friday.

When is the next Consultancy and Professional Services Agreements course?

The next public date is 7 - 11 Dec 2026 in Barcelona. There are 49 upcoming dates in total.

Where is this course held?

Upcoming sessions run in Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Rome, Vienna, Amsterdam, Cape Town, Dubai, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Munich, Paris.

Can I take Consultancy and Professional Services Agreements online?

Yes. Every date can also be joined live online in a virtual classroom with the trainer, for £1,050 per participant. Choose "Live online" in the dates table when you register.

How much does the course cost?

Fees start from £2,250 per delegate, depending on the city. Fees include tuition and course materials.

Do participants receive a certificate?

Yes. Delegates who complete the course receive a London Leadership Management Innovation certificate of completion.

Can this course be delivered in-house for our team?

Yes. LLMI can tailor and deliver this course privately for your organisation at your premises or in one of our training cities.

Course information last updated 14 November 2026.

Consultancy and Professional Services Agreements

Course overview

Introduction

Course Objectives

Target Audience

Training Methodology

Target Competencies

Course outline

Dates and fees

Frequently asked questions

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