Legal paperwork that stops being a reason you have not shipped

You need an NDA before Thursday's investor call. The options are a lawyer who cannot see you until next week, a US template that says "State of Delaware", or a subscription site that hides the document until you hand over a card. Here you read the whole agreement first, fill it in, and download it.

Start with any document See what is here

The documents

Each one has a page explaining what it is for, when it is the wrong choice, and what is inside it.

Sharing something confidential

Before you show anyone the thing you would rather they did not repeat.

NDA Template for Canadian BusinessesA one-way non-disclosure agreement, for when you are the one sharing something confidential and the other side is not.Mutual NDA TemplateA two-way confidentiality agreement, for when both companies will be showing each other something they would rather keep quiet.

Bringing someone on

Whether they are staff or hired for a project, and who owns what they make.

Employment Agreement TemplateThe contract you give a new hire: what they are paid, what they do, who owns what they build, and what happens if it ends.Independent Contractor AgreementFor engaging a freelancer or agency, with the IP assignment and the independence language that keep it a contractor relationship rather than an employment one.

Doing work for clients

The paper you send when you are the one being hired.

Services Agreement TemplateThe master agreement for providing services to a customer, covering deliverables, fees, IP ownership, liability and termination.

Putting something online

What every website, app or product needs before it takes its first user.

Privacy Policy Template for Canadian WebsitesWhat personal information your site or app collects, what you do with it, and how long you keep it.Website Terms and Conditions TemplateThe rules for using your website or app, and the limits on what you are liable for when someone does.Software End User Licence AgreementThe licence your users accept when they install your software: what they may do with it, and what they may not.Website Copyright PolicyAsserts your ownership of the content on your site and sets out how you handle infringement complaints.

Sorting out ownership

Moving intellectual property to where it should have been all along.

Assignment of IP AgreementMoves ownership of intellectual property from a person to a company, or between companies.

Start with any document Free to read and fill. You pay only when you download.

Where a lawyer is still the right call

A template is a starting point. If the agreement is the one your business depends on, if the other side has far more leverage than you, or if real money turns on a single clause, pay a lawyer to read it. These documents are built to be a sensible draft to bring to that conversation, not a replacement for it.

Not legal advice. These templates are generic and may not suit your situation or jurisdiction. They are a starting point. Have a qualified lawyer review any agreement before you sign it.