Why signing a service agreement with freelancers is important

We get it, for non-lawyers agreements are not fun and can be something that is "in the way" of doing actual work. And no one wants to set out thinking things will go wrong! Most of the time they do not. Until they do.

In case of disputes it can be that what the parties agreed is remembered differently by both sides. There could be some emails that were exchanged but most likely not every situation was foreseen. It is also common that people just assume that the other party understand everything the same way.

Why is it important to put the important stuff down on paper?

• Lawyers have seen typical issues that arise and can point them out in the beginning - this means you can specify details like work obligations, payment terms, conditions for terminating etc;

• Having an agreement provides discipline even if there is not real intention to ever go to court. You can always refer back to the written agreement!

• When money is involved, it is important to have your back covered and to see that you do not take any unnecessary risks;

• Agreement negotiations can also reveal much more about the other party.

The agreement does not have to be complicated - it can be quite basic and there are plenty of free resources available if you do not want to consult a lawyer.