Contracts and Legal Documents

A handshake agreement is a liability. Every service you deliver and every client relationship you enter should be governed by a written contract — not because you expect things to go wrong, but because a clear written agreement prevents misunderstandings that lead to disputes.

The Contracts Every Small Business Needs

Client service agreement. Defines scope of work, payment terms, timeline, revision limits, and remedies if either party fails to perform. The most important contract for any service business.

Independent contractor agreement. If you hire freelancers, this defines the work, payment, deliverable ownership, and contractor classification. Misclassifying employees as contractors is a significant legal and tax liability.

Non-disclosure agreement. Protects confidential information you share with clients, contractors, or vendors. Essential for businesses that deal with proprietary information or sensitive client data.

Operating agreement. Internal LLC document that defines member rights, profit distribution, and procedures for adding or removing members. Every LLC should have one.

Terms of service and privacy policy. Required for any website that collects customer information. GDPR and state privacy laws have made these non-optional for online businesses.