Are Freelance Contracts Necessary

Where can I find templates for them?

[Kysmiley]

At what point ie: dollar, product size, do you recommend using a contract for a freelance designer. My wife recently started doing freelance graphic design work and i am a little concerned everything has been based on totoal trust. Also at what point or do you, ask for an up front deposit

Is there any such thing as contact templates where I can add or remove what I need to for free lance work. Is it recommended that i contact a lawyer instead of drawing up my own contacts

Pat

[edited by: stuntdubl at 12:57 am (utc) on May 23, 2004]
[edit reason] Spliced in the second question [/edit]

[iamlost]

Now. Already.

A contract should be from the very start. Remember it has two purposes. We tend to focus on "legal" when we think contract but it is primarily a form of memory: who will do (and who will not do) what, where, when, why, how.

As a designer it is especially important not just to have an initial contract before doing any work (see multiple threads here about this!) but that any changes along the way be documented by both parties prior to implementing them.

There is no dollar amount or project size: a "free" design should still have a contract for clarity if no other reason. It is part of being professional.

[stuntdubl]

While I like to have faith in humanity, I have gotten burned and learned my lesson as shamed as I am to admit it. It is best to have SOMETHING in writing rather than flying on trust. Deposits are a good idea as well. There are several topics on the subject and a search on your favorite search engine should reveal some contract templates as well.

If someone is unwilling to give a deposit, they are most likely not going to be a very good client anyhow. Most people will respect the professionalism of a formal contract as well.

Here are a few posts on the subject that may be of some assistance.

A great list of "Boilerplate Template" threads by Travoli [webmasterworld.com]

First Contract [webmasterworld.com]- Post of a New Webmasters First Contract

Format of an SEO Schedule [webmasterworld.com] - a bit off topic, but still maybe helpful in formatting a contract.

Format of an SEO Proposal [webmasterworld.com] - again off-topic, but possibly helpful

[jamesa]

If you want to keep your friends/clients you need a contract. Or at least something in writing - email exchanges can be fine for tiny jobs where a contract would be overkill. A contract is nothing more than a formalization of your verbal agreements. Too often people with think they are in agreement, but the devil is in the details. People make assumptions. Putting the details in writing can bring any potential differences to the surface before they become a problem. Afterwards it's ugly. I can't tell you how many times a written document raised a question or brought a difference in understanding to the surface.

Always get some money up front. Always. You can make exceptions for small dollar amounts with established, good-paying clients but cap it.

[LABachlr]

Check out elance dot com's resources section for sample contracts.

[hunderdown]

You don't even have to call it a contract, but you should have a something in writing that says
--what I'm doing for the client, and by when
--what the client will do for me, and by when

I call mine a letter of agreement, avoid legal language, and keep it to under a page.

I also include in the letter a requirement of a deposit, usually one third to half the expected total fee.

I've been using this approach for several years now in my freelancing as an editorial consultant (probably pretty similar work to the original poster's wife) and it's worked well.