Contract guides for small businesses
What the clauses in business contracts mean, which versions go too far, and what to ask before you sign. Written in plain English for people who don’t have a lawyer on staff.
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Contract red flags: 15 clauses to check before you signThe contract terms that most often go too far, from unlimited liability and one-way indemnities to slow payment and IP grabs, explained in plain English.Read the guideA contract means what it says, not what you’re told it meansEmotional pressure to sign? Why a contract is enforced on its wording, not on what you were told it means, and how to read it with a clear head.Read the guideHow to brief a lawyer on a contract (and pay less for it)How to brief a lawyer on a contract: what to prepare, what to send, the questions to ask, and how a fixed fee and a focused brief can cut your legal fees.Read the guide
Risk, money and ownership
Limitation of liability clauses explainedWhat a limitation of liability clause does, how liability caps are set, what’s usually left uncapped, and what to ask for in UK, EU and US contracts.Read the guideIndemnity clauses explained in plain EnglishWhat an indemnity clause means, how it differs from a claim for breach, what “defend and hold harmless” adds, and which indemnities are common and reasonable.Read the guidePayment terms in contracts: what’s fair and what isn’tWhat payment terms in a contract really mean: net 30 and net 60, invoice conditions, set-off, pay when paid and late-payment interest in the UK, EU and US.Read the guideWho owns the work? IP clauses for freelancers and agenciesWho owns the work you create for a client? How IP assignment, licences, background IP and moral rights work in UK, EU and US contracts.Read the guide
Leaving, restrictions and disputes
Termination and auto-renewal clauses explainedHow a termination clause works: ending for convenience or breach, cure periods, auto-renewal deadlines, early exit fees and what survives when a contract ends.Read the guideNon-compete, non-solicitation and exclusivity clausesWhat non-compete, non-solicitation and exclusivity clauses mean, when UK, EU and US law may enforce them, and what to ask for before you sign.Read the guideGoverning law and jurisdiction clauses explainedWhat a governing law clause does, how it differs from jurisdiction, when arbitration replaces the courts, and what to ask for in UK, EU and US contracts.Read the guide
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