This is one of a set of consultancy documents drawn by Net Lawman. Links to the other are available at the right side of this page.

This consultancy agreement is suitable for any consultant or self employed person who sells expertise or knowledge. It has been drawn so that any intellectual property designed or written by the consultant belongs to the consultant; i.e. there is no IP transfer to the client. The document therefore favours the consulatnt. If you are a client and want to ensure that any IP belongs to you, use our document 'Consultancy agreement: client's version' linked right.

This consulting agreement has been drawn so as to be presented to a client on the basis that the client will probably sign it “as is”, but may wish to negotiate.  It is for specific, one off assignments.Of course if you take your clients only off the Internet, you will need a “terms and conditions” document to put on your website.

For thousands of self employed people some version of this document will be presented to a new client as “my contract”. For any business using self employed people it provides the essential starting point for the relationship.

Note however, that although the agreement clothes the transaction with all the characteristics of self employment, simply using one of these contracts will not necessarily avoid the relationship of employer and employed.