shimon / consulting-contract-template

A template for a simple software consulting contract

A Consulting Contract Template for Hackers

This is an example consulting contract. You'll need to edit it before using - look for the [BRACKETED SECTIONS]. But also read through it, and beware that this contract is an example only and does not consitute legal advice.

This contract is in the public domain.

Thank you, Shimon Rura 19 Nov 2012

What this thing can't do

Be aware that this contract isn't really going to protect you from clients who aren't going to pay you -- if that's a concern with a given client, you should set up payment terms that minimize this risk, as legal means of enforcing payment generally aren't worth the cost.

Statement of Work

If you want to include a SOW what I'd do is change the first line in Services to something like:

Consultant will provide software development services for a [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCT HERE]. Components and features of this PRODUCT will be determined collaboratively by Client and Consultant, initially based on the attached Statement of Work.

The Statement of Work should be a separate document with whatever the statement is. Doesn't need to be super-formal, a bulleted list is OK. It should be signed and dated by both of you. And you should probably err on the side of being not very specific, as these things can change and you don't want to get nickel-and-dimed over weird little details that you wrote down before they were certain.