Docracy is an awesome website for 0pen source legal documents.
As a freelance designer, it isn’t going to take many bad experiences with clients who don’t pay or asking for more than first agreed. Things get hairy and weird when you’re talking about peoples money.
So what do you do?
Start using legal documents!
When you have something defined in writing, it’s a lot harder for clients (and you) to wiggle free. Plus, God forbid, you have to go to court, you’re got your backside covered.
Here’s the full set of designer-centric legal docs you can customize online:
- AIGA Standard for Professional Design Services
- Contract for Website Development & Identity Work, with Annotations
- AIGA/GAG Speider’s Designer Contract
- Contract for Web Design
- Shortform Design Contract
- Work for Hire
- Consulting Agreement
- Shortform NDA
- Contract for Original Illustration Work
- Simple IP Assignment
This great list came from Smashing Magazine‘s Veronica Picciafuoco. She explains each document in further detail and includes a zip file with all ten of these documents combined in one easy download in her Smashing Magazine post.
If you’re not a designer, but a start-up or freelancer of a different flavor, give Docracy a spin, they’ve got legal documents of all sorts.
[tentblogger-vimeo 46361726]
Good stuff.
Have you ever regretted not having a legal document for services rendered?
[via Smashing Magazine | Image via kandisebrown]
Marcus Williamson says
Yes indeed dude. btw…solid space for sure. Those guys rock socks! Love their vids 🙂
Eric Dye says
Cool!
Bryan Chalker says
THIS IS SWEET! Great find and great share Eric. Thanks so much. Perfect timing on this, too.
Eric Dye says
😀
Bless Quarshie says
Nice. I’ve already started with legal documents. I have a contract document that binds on both parties once we sign it. But I’ll taking a good look at these, see what more I can make use of.
Thanks.
Eric Dye says
Great! 😀