Web Design Contracts?

[svoltmer]

I am new to the business of web site design and would like some kind of contract that I could use for clients that would free me from any legal entanglings from the site I design for them. Is there a place where I can download or purchase a general web designers contract?

[Macguru]

Something like those [google.com]?

Use other varients, there is plenty out there. Try to find a "local" one. International laws vary a lot.

[STeeL]

What about everyone else, when you started your own business, did you go to a lawyer or bought prebuild contract agreements online/book?

And if you did work with lawyer, how much did you pay for making new contract?

Thank You!

[edit: spell check :)]

[Travoli]

I always recommend working with a lawyer on legal issues like these. It may cost more up front, but you can save lots of money and time down the road with a lock-tight contract. It is almost like paying for an insurance policy.

If it is a standard form that does not require much research on the lawyer's part, most firms will do. If you are getting complex, the old statement applies "you get what you pay for" IMHO.

[Syren_Song]

Welcome to Webmaster World, STeeL!

When I created my contract, I started out by doing some research online and found a few contracts others were using. I also found a few attorney/legal websites to get a bit more info to "flesh out" the contracts I had found online.

Next, I modified and combined everything into a single contract that included the things I felt were most important and appropriate for the way I wanted to do business.

Finally, I took the contract to an attorney and had him look it over and make changes as needed.

By doing it this way, I was able to save a few bucks by not requesting an attorney to do anything more than reviewing what I had already researched and created. If I had an attorney create the contract from scratch, it would probably have cost quite a bit more, since he would have had to do some (if not all) of the research I had already done on my own.

Good Luck!

[STeeL]

Great idea Syren_Song! I also have several contracts used by other web design companies and I know what changes I want to make.
But how did you chose your attorney? Will regular attorney be fine or should I look for someone who is doing business with our world (web design, hosting, etc.)?

[Syren_Song]

If you can find one in your area who's familiar with the biz, great! Obviously, an attorney who knows about internet law would be best suited for this sort of specialized contract.

If not, I'd look for one who specializes in contracts or business law. They should have the basic knowledge to put together a decent contract for you - especially since you'll have the bulk of it put together already.

If you can find one who has a good, solid knowledge of the web, even better! If not, even somebody who knows something about computers in general would be good.

Some older attorneys may not be very familiar with the internet at all, so be careful dealing with them. If they don't have an email address with their firm's name in it, if they can't figure out how to respond to an email from you or need help using their own computer, run, don't walk, in the opposite direction! ;)