How to draft a condition precedent

A retail business sold its defaulted accounts to a debt collector; litigation ensued about the retailer’s warranty in the sales contract that the accounts “have been originated, serviced, and collected in accordance with all applicable laws.” Conn Credit I LP v. TF Loanco III, LLC, No. 17-40148 (Sept. 10, 2018). This requirement created an “unambiguous condition precedent” when contained in a provision stating that the defendant was “obligated to transfer Accounts on a Closing Date only if . . . the representations and warranties of the Buyer or the Seller, respectively, in this Agreement are true and correct as of such Closing Date” (emphasis added). The Fifth Circuit declined to imply a prejudice requirement into the parties’ agreement, noting that “Conn does not identify a single Texas case applying a prejudice requirement outside of the insurance context” involving untimely claim notification.