Questions regarding written agreements between parties business or otherwise.
30
votes
7answers
3k views
How to split up revenue between partners who contribute different amounts of work
My co-founder and I will soon launch a micro ISV. Our current agreement states that we split ownership 50-50. However, since we reached the ownership agreement the amount of work we have put into ...
16
votes
7answers
1k views
Dealing with a Slow Developer
We outsourced development (out of the country) to get a prototype of our site put together. The developer estimated 8 weeks for the project, but admitted that they could not guarantee that it might ...
15
votes
5answers
937 views
Losing Controlling Interest in a company, can that be bad?
Basically I have been lucky to get spotted by some angel investors and will be signing £60,000 for 60% of my current business come thursday, which will really boost my start-up massively and ...
14
votes
7answers
997 views
How can I determine a good rate for freelancing?
I've currently got a startup and a full-time job. I'm looking to transition to part-time freelancing so I can focus more on my startup. However, I'm walking into this completely blind, and I need ...
14
votes
1answer
945 views
How much should we charge for an IT job?
The scenario
We just got our very first medium/large size client.
They are opening a new company which operates around a web application that will be entirely developed and maintained by us.
We ...
14
votes
3answers
726 views
Overbudget and unable to complete software contract. What can I do and what can I expect to happen?
This might be a slightly long story, but I really would appreciate any help you can give me here. I am a young entrepreneur and currently run a struggling website development / software company.
...
10
votes
10answers
5k views
Contract with co-founder signed before starting startup?
Co-founder is someone we really trust. But still there is a possibility for dispute.
Is it better to put everything in writing and sign it before starting startup? Is it worth to pay legal fee ...
10
votes
7answers
541 views
Agile With Fixed Pricing?
I am starting a company and am considering agile development, but I don't understand how a Fixed Price contract (the type I would like to use), could work. It seems like the point of Agile is to keep ...
8
votes
3answers
504 views
How to relieve customer's concerns about what happens to my one-man startup web service if I die?
I own an S Corporation that has launched a niche market web service and have signed up a few customers. I'm still very much bootstrapping this and doing everything myself (a one-man show).
I'm ...
7
votes
5answers
788 views
what should be in a software license/terms of service/end user license agreement?
I suppose I should find a decent attorney for this, but I'd like to see if I can find some "free" resources first.
My company is about to release a software product (actually bundled together with ...
6
votes
2answers
253 views
Is there an inbetween step between “a trial period” and “co-founder”?
Greetings,
I am planning on joining a start up with someone as a co-founder and right now we're in a hurry to get product off the ground. I've worked with this person in
a trial period and I ...
6
votes
2answers
349 views
How to “Divorce” a co-counder in a way that leaves everyone happy
I had the idea for my startup two years ago. I discussed it with a friend and over time we agreed to be partners in the venture together, with a 50-50 equity split. We signed a tentative agreement ...
5
votes
7answers
679 views
Can a contract legally cover something that happened before its signing?
When we hired a new employee we forgot to make him sign an NDA. Now, a year into his employment, we want to make sure that he signs one. My question is, what language should I use in the contract to ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
Paying remote contractors?
Let's say I hire some remote contractors. Some are based in the US, and some are international.
I want to pay the contractors on a bi-weekly basis.
What is the best service to use for paying my ...
5
votes
11answers
600 views
Where can I get free/cheap legal documents?
We're looking to hire our first employee and we want to make sure the employement and stock vesting stuff is all in order - we're in the UK so is it safe to assume that anything we read regarding USA ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
How important is it to have the original of a contract?
How important is it to have the original of a contract? Would having just a copy of a signed contract still make it enforceable? Is it any different than signing two copies of the same contract?
Is ...
5
votes
1answer
195 views
What does employment at will actually mean for an employee?
I've recently (5 months ago) signed and employment-at-will contract with a largish company. I start in 2 months. Given different scenarios, I want to figure out not only what this legally means, but ...
5
votes
3answers
213 views
Survey / Ballot / e-sign tool
I've noticed a trade-off in survey and e-sign tools.
Survey tool:
Low cost for large volumes
Manage Survey Workflow well
Excellent data collection / reporting
Does not offer signature
Does not ...
5
votes
1answer
103 views
How old does one legally have to be to start/own a share in a company in the US?
I am 18 but my co-founder is 17. (In other words, I am able to sign a binding contract, he is not.) We are getting ready to incorporate our startup — but is my co-founder old enough to start, and own ...
4
votes
5answers
504 views
Should we refund the deposit?
For a new website, he paid a deposit of $210 (30%). He looked through our porfolio, and got about 1/4 way through before saying "Awesome. Let's start!".
We for him 2 design images and he didn't like ...
4
votes
3answers
156 views
A special kind of merger
I am negotiating a deal and I really need some advice on the pros and cons of the deal that has been suggested to me.
I have a startup company with radically innovative technology. I want to merge ...
4
votes
4answers
1k views
Retainer fees for freelance software engineers - is this common practice, can I use this?
I have a relatively new business - I've recently been freelancing as a software engineer for 6 months, working from my own office for a couple of companies having contracted on site before for about ...
4
votes
5answers
874 views
Is a non-compete enforceable if you are not an employee of the company?
My wife has an offer from a company in NYC and the contract says specifically that she would be an independent consultant for a 3 month trial period, and not an employee of the company during that ...
4
votes
2answers
585 views
Good 'starter' SOW or Contracts for Consultant business?
I run a consulting biz on the side (just me), doing odd IT jobs ranging from web development / design / db management etc;
I have typically made small contracts or statements of work for the jobs, ...
4
votes
4answers
3k views
Joint Software Development Agreement – how to set up IP ownership?
I’ll be entering into a joint development software project with 2 other companies. I’m considering how best to deal with the intellectual property ownership.
I suppose one company could be the ...
4
votes
3answers
292 views
Recommend a supplier of (UK) template contracts for software development [closed]
I'm looking to purchase a template contract for delivering fixed scope/price software development projects, dealing with IP issues and everything else that needs to be taken into consideration.
I can ...
4
votes
1answer
78 views
How do you structure contracts with clients
I am bidding on the construction of a website for a startup. We agreed to make it a fixed price contact, and I have what I consider a reasonable bid ready.
What I wanted to know is how payment on ...
4
votes
5answers
654 views
Are convertible note contract templates available?
I don't want to pay for an attorney to write a contract for me.
Is there a good convertible note contract template that I can use?
4
votes
3answers
217 views
Universal NDA agreements
I'll be starting a "startup" that will require me to see existing code, propritary data, etc. I'm sure that most of my potential clients will not already have an NDA for me to sign so I want to be ...
4
votes
3answers
465 views
Enforcing international agreements/contracts
I'm just curious about how a contract between two parties in different countries would handle breaches/consequences of said contract.
Let's say between two parties in USA and Asia. If the contract ...
4
votes
2answers
96 views
Company Signing rights
What determines who has authority to sign a contract on behalf of the company?
What if a low level employee signs a contract in the name of the company, is it still binding?
What happens when there ...
4
votes
2answers
105 views
Question regarding contracts for unpaid work
we're starting a website that caters to a certain demography - and need some illustrations done. We have a few folks interested in contributing the illustrations for free - but we want to be safe in ...
4
votes
3answers
198 views
If you are a creative studio, who owns employees ideas that they come up with whilst in your employ?
We are a creative studio who depend on new ideas and new IP to survive. Many of our staff (naturally) are quite creative as well, and as such don't want their best ideas taken by the studio - where ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
When is an NDA valid? OR How generic is is too generic?
There are a lot of questions up here about NDAs but I didn't see anything for more generic forms. Here's my issue:
I'm a software engineer and have written some iOS (iPhone/iPad) software. A friend ...
3
votes
5answers
458 views
Hiring and interviewing advice
I'm in the process of evaluating resumes for a web marketing / project management position. I've never considered myself very good at interviewing. Beware, my question is multi-faceted, so don't feel ...
3
votes
5answers
465 views
What's the best way to structure software contracts for small projects?
What are the proper incentives, and workflow processes, for contract development?
3
votes
6answers
397 views
How does one find an illustrator?
On one hand we have designers readily available, people we can hire to create something with direction or concepts already available.
On the other hand, we have sites like 99 Designs and Crowdspring ...
3
votes
3answers
219 views
Is consulting work subject to my day-job's intellectual-property clause?
Disclaimer: I'm not seeking legal advice here, I will naturally seek actual legal advice before I make any decisions. I'd just like to know the lay of the land, if anyone can help.
I'm in the ...
3
votes
6answers
389 views
What are the proper steps (contracts, terms, payments agreements) when hiring freelance developers?
I'm looking to hire some developers to help bang out some features of my app that I can't do myself yet. I'm going to be able to give them pretty specific tasks and if they do well continue on and ...
3
votes
3answers
918 views
Is the promise of a contract legally binding?
I promised someone that I would enter into a contract with them in the future. Basically I promised that I'd sell them a website for a fixed price in the future. This was an informal, oral agreement, ...
3
votes
4answers
182 views
Considering hiring advisors/consultants for my startup website
How should they be paid; what is an average fee for a professional...non professional?
I really don't know how much time or useful info they will provide so is giving them a percentage of ownership a ...
3
votes
1answer
196 views
Plain english translation of these finance terms
What does these mean in plain English, guessing the best way to describe it is by giving theoretical numbers for best worst case instances, though that's just my thought - I'll leave it up to you to ...
3
votes
2answers
244 views
I am a web model and I signed a contract with a non-compete clause I want to get out with out a problem help?
The contract is for 2 years and im only 2 months into it and it also has a non compete clause/Exclusivity clause ... so i really want to get out of this fast its a bad bad deal..
D. Exclusivity. Not ...
3
votes
1answer
303 views
What type of contract is required when offering a service?
So I started a small business offering a service that is provided through-out the month and is billed monthly. This service could be stopped at any point, but I want to make sure the following are ...
3
votes
3answers
110 views
Should a software license and maintenance support be on same agreement?
If I am selling to an SMB or enterprise should I have seperate agreements for license and annual maintenance /tech support?
3
votes
1answer
74 views
Taking Stock in Clients
All,
I run a contract engineering firm, and I'm considering taking stock in some of my clients in return for reduced rates. I feel comfortable doing this given the continued level of income from that ...
3
votes
5answers
781 views
How to present and sell a business/product (one in the same) to potential buyer (bigger company) without risking them stealing my idea?
I have developed my product completely, and have built a business for the product to be able to take to market. The product is unlike anything else on the market as of now and in my opinion would work ...
3
votes
2answers
141 views
Any contract draft before beginning a startup
A friend of mine and me (both early 20s) are teaming up with a seasoned professional person who owns a PR agency. We are jointly developing an Internet marketing idea that could turn out profitable. ...
2
votes
4answers
466 views
Why can't a startup “own” its employees when sport clubs can?
Soccer clubs (at least in Europe) "own" their players for the duration of the contracts. These players are working for their clubs in a very similar way to employees working for startups. My question, ...
2
votes
6answers
984 views
Validity of Shareholder Agreement
We are a newly formed corporation in NY and have just drafted our first shareholders' agreement. There are five shareholders in all but only four of us have signed the agreement. We are acting as if ...
