assign a contract

Assignment of Contract

Jump to section, need help with a contract agreement.

Post Your Project (It's Free)

Get Bids to Compare

 Hire Your Lawyer

What is an Assignment of Contract?

An assignment of contract is a legal term that describes the process that occurs when the original party (assignor) transfers their rights and obligations under their contract to a third party (assignee). When an assignment of contract happens, the original party is relieved of their contractual duties, and their role is replaced by the approved incoming party.

How Does Assignment of Contract Work?

An assignment of contract is simpler than you might think.

The process starts with an existing contract party who wishes to transfer their contractual obligations to a new party.

When this occurs, the existing contract party must first confirm that an assignment of contract is permissible under the legally binding agreement . Some contracts prohibit assignments of contract altogether, and some require the other parties of the agreement to agree to the transfer. However, the general rule is that contracts are freely assignable unless there is an explicit provision that says otherwise.

In other cases, some contracts allow an assignment of contract without any formal notification to other contract parties. If this is the case, once the existing contract party decides to reassign his duties, he must create a “Letter of Assignment ” to notify any other contract signers of the change.

The Letter of Assignment must include details about who is to take over the contractual obligations of the exiting party and when the transfer will take place. If the assignment is valid, the assignor is not required to obtain the consent or signature of the other parties to the original contract for the valid assignment to take place.

Check out this article to learn more about how assigning a contract works.

Contract Assignment Examples

Contract assignments are great tools for contract parties to use when they wish to transfer their commitments to a third party. Here are some examples of contract assignments to help you better understand them:

Anna signs a contract with a local trash company that entitles her to have her trash picked up twice a week. A year later, the trash company transferred her contract to a new trash service provider. This contract assignment effectively makes Anna’s contract now with the new service provider.

Hasina enters a contract with a national phone company for cell phone service. The company goes into bankruptcy and needs to close its doors but decides to transfer all current contracts to another provider who agrees to honor the same rates and level of service. The contract assignment is completed, and Hasina now has a contract with the new phone company as a result.

Here is an article where you can find out more about contract assignments.

Nicholas M.

Assignment of contract in real estate.

Assignment of contract is also used in real estate to make money without going the well-known routes of buying and flipping houses. When real estate LLC investors use an assignment of contract, they can make money off properties without ever actually buying them by instead opting to transfer real estate contracts .

This process is called real estate wholesaling.

Real Estate Wholesaling

Real estate wholesaling consists of locating deals on houses that you don’t plan to buy but instead plan to enter a contract to reassign the house to another buyer and pocket the profit.

The process is simple: real estate wholesalers negotiate purchase contracts with sellers. Then, they present these contracts to buyers who pay them an assignment fee for transferring the contract.

This process works because a real estate purchase agreement does not come with the obligation to buy a property. Instead, it sets forth certain purchasing parameters that must be fulfilled by the buyer of the property. In a nutshell, whoever signs the purchase contract has the right to buy the property, but those rights can usually be transferred by means of an assignment of contract.

This means that as long as the buyer who’s involved in the assignment of contract agrees with the purchasing terms, they can legally take over the contract.

But how do real estate wholesalers find these properties?

It is easier than you might think. Here are a few examples of ways that wholesalers find cheap houses to turn a profit on:

• Direct mailers
• Place newspaper ads
• Make posts in online forums
• Social media posts

The key to finding the perfect home for an assignment of contract is to locate sellers that are looking to get rid of their properties quickly. This might be a family who is looking to relocate for a job opportunity or someone who needs to make repairs on a home but can’t afford it. Either way, the quicker the wholesaler can close the deal, the better.

Once a property is located, wholesalers immediately go to work getting the details ironed out about how the sale will work. Transparency is key when it comes to wholesaling. This means that when a wholesaler intends to use an assignment of contract to transfer the rights to another person, they are always upfront about during the preliminary phases of the sale.

In addition to this practice just being good business, it makes sure the process goes as smoothly as possible later down the line. Wholesalers are clear in their intent and make sure buyers know that the contract could be transferred to another buyer before the closing date arrives.

After their offer is accepted and warranties are determined, wholesalers move to complete a title search . Title searches ensure that sellers have the right to enter into a purchase agreement on the property. They do this by searching for any outstanding tax payments, liens , or other roadblocks that could prevent the sale from going through.

Wholesalers also often work with experienced real estate lawyers who ensure that all of the legal paperwork is forthcoming and will stand up in court. Lawyers can also assist in the contract negotiation process if needed but often don’t come in until the final stages.

If the title search comes back clear and the real estate lawyer gives the green light, the wholesaler will immediately move to locate an entity to transfer the rights to buy.

One of the most attractive advantages of real estate wholesaling is that very little money is needed to get started. The process of finding a seller, negotiating a price, and performing a title search is an extremely cheap process that almost anyone can do.

On the other hand, it is not always a positive experience. It can be hard for wholesalers to find sellers who will agree to sell their homes for less than the market value. Even when they do, there is always a chance that the transferred buyer will back out of the sale, which leaves wholesalers obligated to either purchase the property themselves or scramble to find a new person to complete an assignment of contract with.

Learn more about assignment of contract in real estate by checking out this article .

Who Handles Assignment of Contract?

The best person to handle an assignment of contract is an attorney. Since these are detailed legal documents that deal with thousands of dollars, it is never a bad idea to have a professional on your side. If you need help with an assignment of contract or signing a business contract , post a project on ContractsCounsel. There, you can connect with attorneys who know everything there is to know about assignment of contract amendment and can walk you through the whole process.

Meet some of our Lawyers

A corporate and commercial attorney with experience in transactional legal services including corporate and finance transactions, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, commercial contracts, bankruptcy, restructuring, international business transactions and general counsel services. Additional background skills and experience include investment banking, financial analysis, and commercial litigation. Sectors covered include technology, media, franchises, and business services providers, from start-ups to medium and large enterprises.

Daliah Saper operates a cutting-edge internet and social media law practice that regularly leads local and national media outlets to solicit her commentary on emerging internet law issues involving cyberbullying, sexting, catfishing, revenge porn, anonymous online defamation, domain name and user-name squatting, privacy, and the latest business decisions made by social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. As a litigator Daliah represents companies bringing or defending business and intellectual property disputes. (She has argued cases in a number of jurisdictions including taking a case all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court.) As a transactional lawyer she helps clients choose the right business entity, drafts contracts and licensing agreements, advises on sweepstakes and contest rules, and ensures website terms of use and privacy policies are compliant, and provides comprehensive trademark and copyright counseling. Since founding Saper Law Offices in 2005, Daliah has been named a 40 Under 40 by Law Bulletin Publishing Co., a top Media & Advertising attorney by Super Lawyers Magazine 14 years in a row, and has been repeatedly recognized as a leading media and entertainment lawyer by Chambers and Partners. For the past eleven years, she also has taught entertainment and social media law at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Jonathan H.

I’m an attorney focusing my practice on concierge corporate and intellectual property law for startups and high-growth companies. I also serve as outside General Counsel to several businesses in various sectors. Since founding my practice I've worked with hundreds of clients across a variety of industries. My experience as a former General Counsel of a premier edtech company gives me unique insight into the challenges my clients face and how to resolve them efficiently and cost-effectively.

The Law Office of George K. Fuiaxis, from the very beginning in 2002, has built a reputation with its clients as an unmatched, diligent, hands on law practice that is always on duty to find the best course of action for its clients. With a supreme pledge of exceptional service to its clients in the areas of Real Estate (Commercial & Residential), Loan Modifications, Intellectual Property, Corporate Law & Business Transactions, Wills, Trusts & Estates, the Law Office of George K. Fuiaxis creates solutions for the many faceted problems faced by its clients. The office represents several various clients, including well known lending institutions, foreign and domestic corporations, sellers and buyers of residential and commercial real estate, residential and commercial landlords and tenants, well known restaurant and business owners, automobile dealerships, airline companies, well known fashion, sports and entertainment industry individuals and corporations, information technology (IT) startups and well known IT companies.

I'm a business law generalist with over 24 years of experience, including as in-house General Counsel, as outside counsel through my own firm and as an attorney in an Am Law 100 law firm. My employers and clients uniformly appreciate my ability to (i) negotiate and close transactions quickly and effectively, and (ii) to make the complex simple. Among other things, I can efficiently assist you on entity formation, governance, and structure; HR issues; mergers and acquisitions; and the negotiation and drafting of all types of commercial contracts. I'm the proud recipient of multiple Martindale-Hubbell Client Distinction Awards given only to the top 5% of attorneys for quality of service.

Strategic thinking business minded Outside General Counsel here to help you with your company. I have been able to help guide business owners from startup through series A, B, & C funding and ultimately IPO's. Regardless of your plans I am here to help you succeed as you grow your business.

Mr. Mehdipour attended the University of California San Diego where he received his degree in political science. After graduating from UCSD, Mr. Mehdipour attended Southwestern University School of Law where he received his JD. Upon passing the bar, Mr. Mehdipour gained invaluable experience both in a law firm and business setting. Mr. Mehdipour uses his prior business and legal experiences to negotiate the most advantageous results for his clients.

Find the best lawyer for your project

Contract lawyers by city.

• Atlanta Contracts Lawyers
• Austin Contracts Lawyers
• Boston Contracts Lawyers
• Chicago Contracts Lawyers
• Dallas Contracts Lawyers
• Denver Contracts Lawyers
• Fort Lauderdale Contracts Lawyers
• Houston Contracts Lawyers
• Las Vegas Contracts Lawyers
• Los Angeles Contracts Lawyers
• Memphis Contracts Lawyers
• Miami Contracts Lawyers
• New York Contracts Lawyers
• Oklahoma City Contracts Lawyers
• Orlando Contracts Lawyers
• Philadelphia Contracts Lawyers
• Phoenix Contracts Lawyers
• Richmond Contracts Lawyers
• Salt Lake City Contracts Lawyers
• San Antonio Contracts Lawyers
• San Diego Contracts Lawyers
• San Francisco Contracts Lawyers
• Seattle Contracts Lawyers
• Tampa Contracts Lawyers

ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT LAWYERS BY CITY

• Atlanta Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Austin Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Boston Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Chicago Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Dallas Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Denver Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Fort Lauderdale Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Houston Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Las Vegas Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Los Angeles Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Memphis Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Miami Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• New York Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Oklahoma City Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Orlando Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Philadelphia Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Phoenix Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Richmond Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Salt Lake City Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• San Antonio Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• San Diego Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• San Francisco Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Seattle Assignment Of Contract Lawyers
• Tampa Assignment Of Contract Lawyers

other helpful articles

• How much does it cost to draft a contract?
• Do Contract Lawyers Use Templates?
• How do Contract Lawyers charge?
• Business Contract Lawyers: How Can They Help?
• What to look for when hiring a lawyer

Quick, user friendly and one of the better ways I've come across to get ahold of lawyers willing to take new clients.

Contracts Counsel was incredibly helpful and easy to use. I submitted a project for a lawyer's help within a day I had received over 6 proposals from qualified lawyers. I submitted a bid that works best for my business and we went forward with the project.

I never knew how difficult it was to obtain representation or a lawyer, and ContractsCounsel was EXACTLY the type of service I was hoping for when I was in a pinch. Working with their service was efficient, effective and made me feel in control. Thank you so much and should I ever need attorney services down the road, I'll certainly be a repeat customer.

I got 5 bids within 24h of posting my project. I choose the person who provided the most detailed and relevant intro letter, highlighting their experience relevant to my project. I am very satisfied with the outcome and quality of the two agreements that were produced, they actually far exceed my expectations.

How It Works

Post Your Project

Get Free Bids to Compare

Hire Your Lawyer

Want to speak to someone?

Get in touch below and we will schedule a time to connect!

Find lawyers and attorneys by city

• Profile information
• Account settings
• Call 0800 756 3996

Assigning a contract

Make your Letter assigning a contract

Make your free document in 4 easy steps: 1. Answer a few questions 2. Use the Letter assigning a contract FAQs to help 3. Make unlimited revisions and copies 4. Download, print and share

What does ‘assigning’ mean?

There may be situations where one party wishes to leave a contract and transfer their role to a new, incoming party. Transferring a contract from one party to another is known as ‘assigning’ a contract or ‘an assignment’ of the contract, in England and Wales and ‘assignation’ of a contract in Scotland.

Check the contract first

A contract will usually contain provisions concerning assignment . The contract may:

• prevent any assignment
• allow an assignment but only by agreement between the parties
• allow either party to assign to any new (third) party whenever they wish

If the contract is silent on the subject, it is better to obtain the agreement of the existing parties before assignment takes place and a new party is introduced.

Who is involved?

An assignment ends one party’s involvement in the contract and transfers all of their contractual rights, benefits and interests to a new party . 

How does the assignment take place?

Unless an assignment is prohibited in a contract, the outgoing party may assign their rights to the incoming (third) party without the consent of the other party to the agreement. A  Letter of assignment can be used to affect the assignment and is signed by the outgoing party and the incoming party.   

It contains special provisions to transfer all of the rights and benefits under the contract to the incoming party. 

However, in practice, the assignor will usually subcontract , or delegate, their obligations under the contract to the assignee. This means that the assignee will assume the performance of the contract with effect from the assignment, and the assignor will ask to be indemnified against any breach or failure to perform the contract by the assignee.

The signed Letter of assignment is sent to all existing parties. Stakeholders, such as banks or customers, are also notified of the change.

What is the difference between assigning and novating a contract?

A novation agreement transfers both the benefits and the obligations of a contract to a third party. In contrast, an assignment does not transfer the burden of a contract . This means the outgoing party remains liable for any past liabilities incurred before the assignment.

For more information, read Novating a contract .

Related Guides

Varying a contract, novating a contract, ending a contract, ask a lawyer, try rocket lawyer free for 7 days, start your premium membership now and get legal services you can trust at prices you can afford. you’ll get:.

All the legal documents you need—customise, share, print & more

Unlimited electronic signatures with RocketSign ®

Ask a lawyer questions* and get a response within one business day

Access to legal guides on 100s of topics

A 30-minute consultation with a lawyer about any new issue

33% off hourly rates or a fixed price if you need further legal help

*Subject to terms and conditions

We use cookies to provide the best experience

• Practical Law

Practical Law UK Glossary 1-107-6442  (Approx. 4 pages)

• Lending: General
• After Death
• General Contract and Boilerplate
• Security and Quasi Security

Assignment Of Contracts: Everything You Need to Know

Assignment of contracts is the legal transfer of the obligations and benefits of a contract from one party, called the assignor, to another, called the assignee. 3 min read

What Is Assignment of Contracts ?

Assignment of contracts is the legal transfer of the obligations and benefits of a contract from one party, called the assignor, to another, called the assignee. The assignor must properly notify the assignee so that he or she can take over the contractual rights and obligations. This can be done using a document called an assignment agreement, which allows you to protect your legal rights while transferring the contract.

An assignment agreement is appropriate for your needs if the following are true:

• You want to transfer your contractual rights, responsibilities, and obligations to another individual or company.
• You or your business is taking over a contract from another person or business.

The assignment agreement includes the names of the assignor and assignee, the name of the other party to the contract in question (known as the obligor ), the contract's title and expiration date, whether the obligor needs to consent to the rights transfer based on the original terms of the contract, when the obligor consented, when the assignment agreement takes effect, and what state will govern the transferred contract. The assignment agreement may also be called the contract assignment , assignment contract, or assignment of contract.

While assignment contracts are typically only used for amounts of less than $5,000, you can assign a higher profit contract when both the buyer and seller agree. You cannot assign a contract if the original contract prohibits doing so. 

If you are assigning a contract, you may want to ask the obligor to sign a release, or waiver, agreement that releases you from contract liability . In addition to transferring rights and obligations, you can also use an assignment agreement to transfer an income stream to an assignee. However, when transferring rights to intellectual or personal property, it's best to instead use a trademark assignment, bill of sale, or assignment of trade name.

How Do Assignments Work?

The procedure for assigning a contract depends on the language of that contract. For example, some contracts may disallow assignment, while others may allow it only when the obligor consents.  In some cases, the assignor is not relieved of contract liability. This occurs when the original contract has a clause that guarantees performance regardless of assignment.

If you want to buy a contract, look for sellers in newspaper ads, online marketing, and direct mail. In most cases, it makes the most sense to use multiple strategies. For real estate contracts , make sure you conduct a title search on the property in question to make sure there are no liens. You can hire a title company or real estate attorney to ensure that a title is clean before signing an assignment contract.

After you sign the assignment contract, you have interest in the property and can sell it to an end buyer. Market the property through a dedicated website. Once you find a potential buyer, require an earnest money deposit. This is nonrefundable and allows you to make a profit whether or not the deal is successfully completed. If the deal is completed, the end buyer wires funds to cover the sale price of the property along with your stated fee. 

In some cases, you can make a profit just by referring a buyer to an appropriate property and taking a finder's fee. With this strategy, you assign your rights to the buyer, allowing them to close on the property, after which you receive your fee. This is a low-risk endeavor if you have detailed information on exactly what each buyer is looking for. You'll also need to  have the resources to locate great properties before they hit the market. With those two components, you'll be able to make money as a real estate investor without risking your own capital. You can also close on the property yourself and immediately flip it to another investor.

When Are Assignments Not Enforced?

An assignment  agreement is not enforced if the original contract contains a clause that prohibits assignment. If performance is affected, value is decreased, or risk is increased for the obligor, few courts will enforce the assignment. These circumstances are referred to as a material alteration in the contract.

Contract assignments are also prohibited by some state laws. In many states, an employee is prohibited from assigning future wages. Certain claims against the federal government are also prohibited from an assignment. Some assignments violate public policy rather than law, such as assignment of personal injury claims. This is not allowed because it could encourage litigation.

If you need help with assignment of a contract you can  post your job  on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.

Hire the top business lawyers and save up to 60% on legal fees

Content Approved by UpCounsel

• Assignment of Rights Example
• Assignment Contract Law
• Assignment of Rights and Obligations Under a Contract
• Assignment Law
• Legal Assignment
• What Is the Definition of Assigns
• Partial Assignment of Contract
• Assignment Legal Definition
• Assignment of Contract Rights
• Consent to Assignment

If you still have questions or prefer to get help directly from an agent, please submit a request. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Please fill out the contact form below and we will reply as soon as possible.

• Law, Transactions, & Risk Management
• Commercial Law: Contract, Payments, Security Interests, & Bankruptcy

Assignment of a Contract - Explained

What is Assignment and Delegation of a Contract?

Written by Jason Gordon

Updated at April 5th, 2023

• Marketing, Advertising, Sales & PR Principles of Marketing Sales Advertising Public Relations SEO, Social Media, Direct Marketing
• Accounting, Taxation, and Reporting Managerial & Financial Accounting & Reporting Business Taxation
• Professionalism & Career Development
• Law, Transactions, & Risk Management Government, Legal System, Administrative Law, & Constitutional Law Legal Disputes - Civil & Criminal Law Agency Law HR, Employment, Labor, & Discrimination Business Entities, Corporate Governance & Ownership Business Transactions, Antitrust, & Securities Law Real Estate, Personal, & Intellectual Property Commercial Law: Contract, Payments, Security Interests, & Bankruptcy Consumer Protection Insurance & Risk Management Immigration Law Environmental Protection Law Inheritance, Estates, and Trusts
• Business Management & Operations Operations, Project, & Supply Chain Management Strategy, Entrepreneurship, & Innovation Business Ethics & Social Responsibility Global Business, International Law & Relations Business Communications & Negotiation Management, Leadership, & Organizational Behavior
• Economics, Finance, & Analytics Economic Analysis & Monetary Policy Research, Quantitative Analysis, & Decision Science Investments, Trading, and Financial Markets Banking, Lending, and Credit Industry Business Finance, Personal Finance, and Valuation Principles

What is assignment and delegation of contracts?

Assignment is the transfer by one party of her right to receive performance from the other party to the contract. Delegation is the transfer by one party of her duties to perform under a contract.

Please enable JavaScript

Next Article: Duty of Performance Back to: CONTRACT LAW

How do you Assign or Delegate a Contract? 

The rights under a contract can be assigned or the duties delegated through agreement between the assignor and assignee. Assignments/delegations can be a gift or an exchange for other value. In general, unless the contract deems otherwise, obligees may assign their rights or delegate their duties under the contract to third parties.

• Note : The assignor/delegator must give notice to the other party immediately upon assignment/delegation.

Writing Requirement - Assignments and delegations of common law contracts do not have to be in writing. Assignments of contracts for the sale of goods, however, must be in writing if the original contract was subject to the statute of frauds.

Non-Assignable/Delegable Contracts : Unless the agreement limits assignment of rights, most contracts are assignable. Delegation of duties pursuant to contract is more limited. The following contracts are not capable of delegation:

Material Changes of Responsibility - A contract that materially alters the obligors duties under the agreement is not transferable. Particularly, an assignment that greatly increases a partys delivery requirements cannot be assigned. Doing so may detriment the obligor who has to meet a new (and possibly more taxing) delivery schedule.

• Example : I sign a contract to supply all of the cement that your company needs. You are a small construction business with about $1 million per year in revenue. You attempt to assign the contract to ABC Corp, which is a large company with $10 million per year in revenue. If this will dramatically increase my supply requirements, it cannot be assigned without my consent.

Increases Burden or Risk - Generally, any contract that materially increases the other partys burden, risk, or ability to receive return performance is not delegable. As such, requirement contracts generally cannot be delegated because the producers duty depends on the individual output requirements of the purchaser.

• Example : I sign a contract to supply all of the cement that your company needs. You signed the contract with my company because of my reputation and ability to perform. I cannot then delegate the duties under the contract to another company without your consent. This could increase your risk of not receiving performance.

Special Skills - A party to a contract cannot delegate performance of duties under a contract when performance depends on the character, skill, or training of that party.

• Example : One singer cannot transfer her obligations under a contract to another singer if the other party depended upon the skill of that particular vocalist.

Multiple Assignments - A party can partially assign a contract or assign the same contract to multiple parties. Different jurisdictions follow different rules regarding the priority of the assignees. Some jurisdictions allow that the first assignee of a contract who gives notice to the obligor has priority over other assignees. Other jurisdictions follow the rule that the first assignee to receive assignment of a contract has priority to performance by the obligor. Still other jurisdictions follow the rule that the first assignee has priority, unless:

Purchaser in Good Faith for Value - If an assignee pays value for the assignment in good faith without notice of a prior assignment (and the prior assignee did not receive the assignment in good faith and for value), she has priority over prior assignments.

• Example : ABC Corp has a duty to deliver goods to me. I assign the right to receive the goods to 123 Corp as a gift. I later decide to assign the right to receive goods to XYZ Corp in exchange for $1,000. XYZ Corp has no knowledge of my prior assignment to 123 Corp. ABC Corp will have priority over 123 Corp, as 123 Corp did not pay anything for receiving the assignment.

Court Action - If an assignee receives a judgment against the obligor. If a court adjudicates the matter, the assignee winning at court may be vested with the authority to establish priority in performance of assigned rights.

• Example : I am a party to a contract with ABC Corp. I assign my rights under a contract to Tammy and later to June. Tammy sues me and ABC Corp to establish her priority regarding performance of the contract. The court may award priority to Tammy or June.

Novations - If the assignee executes a novation, the novation establishes priority. A novation is a new contract between individuals that replaces a party to the contract or obligations or rights under the agreement.

• Example : I am a party to a contract with ABC Corp. I assign my rights under a contract to Tammy and later to June. June enters into a novation agreement with ABC Corp that replaces me under the contract and establishes her as the obligee. June will have priority of performance above Tammy.

Written Assignment - If a later assignee receives a written assignment capable of transfer that is not in writing, she will have rights superior to those of an earlier assignee. Some agreements, such as assignments that are subject to the statute of frauds, are only capable of being assigned via a valid writing. If a prior assignment does not satisfy the statute of frauds, a subsequent transfer could take precedent. It is important to review the specific rules applicable to the specific jurisdiction when determining ones rights under an assigned contract.

• Example : I am party to a written contract to sell goods to ABC Corp. I verbally transfer my right to receive payment to Amy. I later transfer the right to receive payment to Zora in a written agreement. Zora may have priority over Amy.

Revoking an Assignment - A gratuitous (gift) assignment cannot be revoked if the assignment is made pursuant to a written document signed by the assignor. If no writing exists, revoking a gratuitous assignment that has not been performed is extremely easy (because no physical transfer has taken place). It can be revoked by an assignor later assigning the same right (the last assignment controls), the death or incapacity of the assignor, or by the delivery of notification of revocation to the assignee or obligor.

• Example : I verbally assign to you my rights to receive payment under a contract. I later tell you that I am revoking the assignment. This is effect to revoke the assignment because the original assignment was a gift and I did not make the assignment in writing.

Modification after Assignment - Generally, a contract cannot be modified after assignment. As previously discussed, once a contract has vested, the parties generally cannot modify the contract in a way that impairs the assignees rights. If, however, a modification does not affect the assignees rights, it may be modified.

• Example : I have the right under a contract with ABC Corp to receive payment. I transfer the right to receive payment to you. I later approach ABC Corp and alter my obligation to deliver goods on a specific date. If the alteration of my duties does not affect your rights as assignee, the alteration is not prohibited.
• Note : There is an exception in commercial contracts under the UCC that allows for modifications or substitutions in accordance with commercially acceptable standards. This allows for slight modifications that are within the expectations of the parties.

Continued Delegator Responsibilities - The party delegating the contract is still potentially liable under the contract if the delegatee fails to perform. If, however, the delegatee and the obligee under the contract enter into a novation, the delegator is relieved of responsibility.

• Example : I am obligated to perform services to ABC Corp. I delegate my responsibilities to you. If you fail to perform the consulting duties, ABC Corp can still sue me. If, however, you enter into a novation with ABC Corp that substitutes you for me in the original contract, your failure to perform does not affect me.
• Note : If the delegator expresses her intent to repudiate the contract upon assignment to the delegatee, there is an implied novation if the obligee does not object. Also, the delegatee will be liable under the contract if she expressly or impliedly accepts responsibility for performance.

Most of the above rules regarding assignment and delegation are capable of modification in a contract between the parties.

Discussion Question

How do you feel about treating assignments of rights and delegation of duties under contracts differently? Which of the assignment priority rules do you believe is most fair to the parties? Why? Should a party be able to modify a contract after assigning her benefits?

Practice Question

Cleo is a party to a contract with ABC Corp to provide consulting services. Cleo verbally assigns her rights to receive payment to Austin. Cleo later verbally assigns her rights to receive payment to Steve. Austin complains to Cleo about her subsequent assignment. What can Austin do to establish his priority to receive payment from ABC Corp?

• A party to a contract may at any given time transfer their rights in the contract to another person or to multiple people. This transfer of rights by a party to a third party is referred to novation. However, the transfer of rights to multiple people works on the principle of priority, meaning that the first person to receive the rights from the party to the contract holds priority to the others who received the rights after them. In the event of a dispute arising from how to allocate the benefits of the transferred right, the person to whom the rights were transferred to first has a right to sue. In this scenario, if Austin does not receive payment from ABC Corp, he can sue the company. If he is a creditor beneficiary, he could also sue Cleo.

Related Topics

• Contract Law (Intro)
• What is a Contract?
• Contract Theory Definition
• Meeting of the Minds
• Doctrine of Utmost Good Faith 
• Aleatory Contract Definition
• What are the sources of contract law?
• Restatement of Contracts
• Uniform Commercial Code
• Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) 
• What is a Unilateral Contract vs a Bilateral Contract?
• What is an Express Contract vs an Implied Contract?
• What are the requirements to form a Contract (Offer, Acceptance, Consideration)?
• What is an Enforceable Contract vs. a Valid Contract?
• What is a Void Contract vs a Voidable Contract?
• Adhesion Contract 
• What is Mental Capacity to contract?
• What is the requirement of a Lawful Purpose?
• What are common types of Voidable Contract?
• What is an Offer?
• Sum Certain (Contracts) Definition
• When does an offer to contact terminate?
• Counterparty Definition
• Mirror Image Rule?
• Rule for Sale of Goods
• Silence is Not Acceptance ?
• Mailbox Rule
• Shrink-wrap Agreement Definition
• Click-Wrap Agreement Definition
• What is Consideration?
• What is Promissory Estoppel?
• When is a contract required to be in writing Statute of Frauds?
• What type of writing satisfies the statute of frauds?
• Exceptions to the Statute of Fraud
• Documents Under Seal
• Who Can Sign Contracts on Behalf of a Company?
• Privity of Contract
• Who are third-party beneficiaries to a contract?
• What is assignment and delegation of a contract?
• When is a party's Duty of performance?
• Aleatory Contract
• What is an Executed contract vs an Executory contract?
• Inchoate Definition
• Evergreen Contract
• What is Performance, Substantial Performance, and Breach of a contract?
• What is performance of a Divisible Contract?
• When is a party's duty of performance discharged?
• What are conditions to Contract (Precedent & Subsequent)?
• Abandonment Option (Contract) Definition
• Cooling Off Rule Definition
• What is tender performance of a contract?
• What are Impossibility and Impracticability
• What is a Frustration of Purpose?
• Waiver or Release from Contract
• Accord and Satisfaction
• Force Majeure Clause
• What is a Breach of Contract?
• Repudiation (Contract) Definition
• Anticipatory Repudiation
• Acceleration Clause (Contracts) Definition
• What methods exist for resolving a breach?
• What remedies exist for a breach of contract?
• Rescission (Contract)
• Exculpatory Clause
• Hold Harmless Clause
• What is Efficient Breach?
• Organization of a Contract
• How to Read the Contract
• Boilerplate
• Contract Representations & Warranties
• Contract Covenants
• What rules does a court follow in interpreting a contract?
• Allonge Definition
• What is the Parol Evidence Rule?
• What is a complete integration vs a partial integration?
• Exceptions to the Parol Evidence Rule
• Patent and Latent Ambiguity in a Contract
• Service Level Agreement Definition  
• Offtake Agreement

Related Articles

• Security Interest in Assignment of Accounts Receivable or Contract Rights - Explained
• Unilateral and Bilateral Contracts - Explained
• Interpreting What a Contract Means
• Blank Endorsement - Explained

Hopefully this has proved useful. However, the information provided can never be a substitute for advice from an experienced lawyer. If you are in anyway unsure of what you need to do in your individual case our lawyers are available to help. 

One to one advice and having a qualified lawyer available

To answer your questions only costs £45  and is available immediately by clicking the button below., statement of claims.

Claim for breach of a verbal agreement

Claim for breach of express condition of quality and for misrepresentation

Claim in misrepresentation against a Motor Dealer for the sale of a faulty Vehicle

Claim against a builder for failure to carry out work

Claim for repayment of a loan

You may also like to read….

Enforcement of Judgment

If you have obtained your court judgment and it has not been paid as ordered by the court it will be down to you to...

The law of Tort and Negligence

A tort is a civil wrong that results in loss or harm to another. The most common tort is that of negligence. Others...

Pre-action protocols and letters of claim

Pre-action protocols requiring a letter of claim are contained within the Civil Procedure Rules and set out the steps...

Primary tabs

Assign is the act of transferring rights , property , or other benefits to another party (the assignee ) from the party who holds such benefits under contract (the assignor). This concept is used in both  contract  and property law . 

Contract Law  

Under contract law, when one party assigns a  contract , the assignment represents both: (1) an assignment of rights; and (2) a delegation of  duties . 

• For example, if A contracts with B to teach B guitar for $50, A can assign this contract to C. 
• Here, A has both: (1) assigned A’s rights under the contract to the $50; and (2) delegated A’s  duty  to teach guitar, to C. 
• In this example, A is both the “assignor” and the “delegee” who delegates  the duties to another (C), C is known as the “ obligor ” who must perform the  obligations  to the  assignee , and B is the assignee who is owed duties and is liable to the obligor.

Assigning of Rights/Duties Under Contract Law

There are a few notable rules regarding assignments under contract law. 

First, if an individual has not yet secured the contract to perform duties to another, they cannot assign their future right to an assignee. 

• That is, if A has not yet contracted with B to teach B guitar, A cannot assign their rights to C. 

Second, rights cannot be assigned when they  materially change the obligor’s duty and rights. 

Third, the obligor can sue the assignee directly if the assignee does not pay them. 

• Following the previous example, this means that C ( obligor ) can sue B ( assignee ) if C teaches guitar to B, but B does not pay C $50 in return.

Delegation of Duties

If the promised performance requires a rare genius or skill, then the delegee cannot delegate it to the obligor. It can only be delegated if the promised  performance  is more commonplace. Further, an obligee can sue if the  assignee  does not perform.  However, the delegee is  secondarily liable  unless there has been an  express   release  of the delegee. 

• Meaning if B does want C to teach guitar but C refuses to, then B can sue C. If C still refuses to perform, then B can compel A to fulfill the duties under secondary liability.

Lastly, a related concept is  novation , which is when a new obligor substitutes and releases an old obligor.  If novation occurs, then the original obligor’s duties are wiped out. Novation requires an original obligee’s  consent . 

Property Law

Under  property law , assignment typically arises in landlord-tenant situations.

• For example, A might be renting from landlord B but wants another party (C) to take over the property. 
• In this scenario, A might choose between  assigning  and  subleasing  the property to C. 
• If  assigning , A would give C the entire balance of the term , with no reversion to anyone; whereas if  subleasing , A would give C the property for a limited period of the remaining term.
• Under assignment, C would have  privity  of  estate  with the landlord while under a sublease, C would not. 

[Last updated in June of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

• business law
• property & real estate law
• business sectors
• commercial transactions
• property law
• wex articles
• wex definitions