Contracts

Use a Lawyer or is there a template?

[JasonIR]

Hi Everyone,

I have been running a web development firm for 3 years now. Up until now we haven't had any problems with clients paying, and thus haven't really needed a formal work contract. Recently, however, a client claimed complete ignorance at what "$20/hour" means, and we only received 1/5 of our money. It has now dawned on me that we need a formal contract for everything we do.

Is there a contract commonly used for web development/design? Should I get a lawyer to write one up, and how expensive could this be?

Thanks!

Jason

[edited by: Woz at 1:36 am (utc) on Aug. 30, 2003]
[edit reason] no sigs please - TOS#13 [/edit]

[martinibuster]

I just stickied you a link.

[andreasfriedrich]

Lawyers use templates too ;)

[brandi01]

martinibuster, would you mind please to sticky me the link, also?

Thanks.

[Syren_Song]

This thread [webmasterworld.com] has a sample "Barebones" contract for SEO. You could probably modify it to suit your needs.

[Gibble]

Would it be possible to get this link too?

[OhMyPixel]

Sticky Me as well please.

[wildwestica]

Sticky me also. Thank you.

[leibel]

Could you sticky me also please? Thanks.

[amoore]

Just another example of the breakdown of the no URL rule.

[Visit Thailand]

Hate to say this, but I would also appreciate the url please?

[martinibuster]

Just another example of the breakdown of the no URL rule.

With great respect for your opinion, I have to disagree.

I am happy to sticky the url to the other members here who contribute their insight, raise interesting questions, and occasionally challenge and correct my assumptions. It's about giving, in addition to taking.

That's what makes WW a community, and a singularly cool one at that.

[Big_Balou]

I usually hate to jump on bandwagons but I'm looking at finally having a client other than myself......could you please sticky a copy of that link to me as well?

[wheel]

Would you be kind enough to sticky me a link as well please?

As for not using a lawyer, using a lawyer, etc., I spent something like $500-$800 getting my current contract developed by a lawyer who assured me he had done web work before. I ended up with a 1960's looking legalese document that I don't believe addressed everything.

Previous post is correct, lawyers use templates for a lot of this stuff. If they don't have a template, all they can do is make it up as they go along like anyone else. That's why templates can actually be a good thing - chances are good that they've been reviewed by knowledgeable people. Or at least you haven't forked out hundreds of dollars to find out it doesn't fit the bill.

[werty]

Could you also please sticky me the URL?

Thanks in advance

[Robert Charlton]

>>That's why templates can actually be a good thing - chances are good that they've been reviewed by knowledgeable people.<<

Once upon a time, I signed with a major agency in Los Angeles, and was dumb enough to spend $500 having my lawyer review the contract. It turned out that my lawyer's law firm had drafted the contract.

"Isn't there any conflict of interest?" I asked.

"Not really," replied my lawyer. "We just send them our standard set of objections."

[incywincy]

could you sticky me the link too please