Consulting Agreement Template

When to Use a Consulting Agreement?

Use a Consulting Contract if:

1. You are a professional in a certain area and wish to provide services to individuals or entities in exchange for monetary compensation.
2. You need to hire a professional to perform a service for your business or your personal needs.

How Legally Binding Is a Consulting Agreement?

Just like any other contract, a Consulting Services Agreement is legally binding. It is recognized by all government agencies and is considered evidence in all courts of law in case of a legal dispute or disagreement. If signed by two legally capable individuals, acting on their own behalf or on behalf of the entities they represent, this contract will be accepted as an enforceable legal instrument that entails responsibilities for the parties that signed the papers.

How to Write a Consulting Agreement?

A simple Consulting Agreement has to feature the following details:

1. Legal names and addresses of the parties. Also, state the effective date of the agreement on top of the page.
2. Description of services to be provided. List both an initial one-time project and ongoing monthly services. The consultant has to perform the services to a standard of reasonable professionalism within the area of expertise. The parties are free to add the project timeline to the agreement and discuss possible key checkpoints along the way.
3. Retainer clause. It is possible to add this provision to your document or create a separate Retainer Agreement to secure the consultant's services at a later time.
4. Duration of the agreement.
5. Compensation. The contract must clearly explain how much and when the client will pay the consultant in exchange for their services.
6. Termination clause. Generally, a Consulting Services Agreement may be terminated by either party at any time by sending the other party a 30-day written notice.
7. Relationship of the parties. If you wish, you may negotiate an exclusive arrangement or let each other enter into similar contracts with other parties. Indicate that the consultant acts as an independent contractor and not as an employee, agent, partner, or representative of the client.
8. Confidentiality. The consultant may receive access to the client's confidential information and is obliged not to share it with anyone else. Sometimes, proprietary and sensitive information is protected via a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), but it is often enough to simply include an NDA clause in your Consulting Agreement.
9. Signatures of the parties. Once the consultant and the client sign the document, it becomes legally binding. There is no need to verify the agreement with a notary seal in the presence of a notary public.

Still looking for a particular form? Take a look at these similar forms below:

• Settlement Agreement;
• Commission Agreement;
• Bookkeeping Contract;
• Accounting Contract.