I tried using a free online template for a client contract versus having a lawyer draft one from scratch

For my first few agency clients, I used a generic contract I found online for free. It seemed fine until a project went sideways last fall and the client tried to get out of paying for work we had already done. The free template didn't have clear enough terms about kill fees or scope changes. After that, I paid a local lawyer $800 to make a custom contract for my shop. The difference is night and day, especially the part that defines 'deliverables' and what happens if the client wants to stop the project early. Has anyone else had a bad experience with a free template that made them switch to a real legal document?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim69310d ago

That's the exact lesson I had to learn the hard way too.

riley_taylor1d ago

My uncle's been an electrician for thirty years and he says wiring mistakes happen all the time. It's just part of the job, not some huge life lesson. Fixing a panel on a weekend sucks but it's not the end of the world. People act like every little error is a massive character-building moment.

troy83210d ago

My old boss in Phoenix used to say the same thing. He'd always tell me to check the wiring twice before signing off on a job. I still messed it up once and had to redo a whole panel on a Saturday. That kind of mistake really sticks with you.