Legal Issues No One Warns Entrepreneurs About
no one prepares you for...
The first time a client "forgets" to pay you...and you realize an invoice is not a contract.
The moment a project doubles in scope...because you never spelled out exactly what you were including (or not) for that price.
The panic of wanting to push back but having no policy to stand on. You can't enforce a boundary that was never documented.
When "just one more revision" becomes ten. Every extra feels small...until it takes over your week.
Finding out the hard way that screenshots are not legally binding. They can be edited, misinterpreted, or breach someone's privacy – none of which holds up in a real dispute.
Feeling guilty for protecting yourself...when contracts are meant to protect all parties involved.
Legal Contract Templates
Starting with the right legal contract is one of the fastest ways to avoid misunderstandings, scope creep, delayed payments, and awkward client conversations down the line. These templates from Contracts Market help you set expectations upfront, protect your time and expertise, and show up as a serious professional from day one.
Protect yourself from scope creep, vague deliverables, and late payments while giving your clients peace of mind. A must-have for anyone offering done-for-you services.
These contracts help protect your business, define client responsibilities, and create smooth, drama-free working relationships. 10/10 recommend.
This contract outlines roles, ownership, revenue splits, timelines, and responsibilities so everyone knows what they’re signing up for before things get complicated.
Set clear boundaries around scope, access, timelines, and deliverables for consulting, strategic and advisory work, while ensuring you get paid on time without chasing invoices.
Formalize working relationships and NDAs with team members, freelancers, or collaborators. Protect your IP, systems, and business operations as you grow.
Hosting experts for a workshop, event, or program or been invited to speak? Outline expectations, compensation, usage rights, and deliverables so everyone’s aligned.
Disclosure: I earn a small commission if you choose to purchase these digital downloads through the affiliate links above. There is no extra cost to you. I only recommend templates I genuinely trust and use in my own business.
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Working with Retainers or Ongoing Clients?
If your work involves ongoing support, advisory services, or long-term client relationships, having the right contract structure is essential. Retainers require extra clarity around scope, availability, timelines, and payment terms to avoid confusion down the line.
How to Use These Templates Effectively
Choose the template that best matches your service or project.
Customize the key sections — scope of work, deliverables, payment terms, timelines, revisions.
Review the contract with your client before starting to ensure mutual understanding and agreement.
Get everything signed by all parties to make them legally binding, and store contracts in a secure, backed-up system (cloud drive, Airtable, CRM).
Reuse them consistently. Once adapted, these become your standard contracts, saving you hours every month.
frequently asked questions
Were these drafted by a lawyer?
The contract templates were created by Jaime Bell, a Canadian business lawyer and entrepreneur with over a decade of business law experience under her belt. You can learn more about Jaime here. Each template has been carefully reviewed and drafted intentionally, in language that you and your clients will understand. All contracts have been peer-reviewed by a US law firm to make sure they complied with US Law.
I'm a Canadian or US based entrepreneur but I have international clients, can I still use these contract templates?
Yes! These contract templates were created for Canadian and US based businesses and entrepreneurs, no matter where in the world your clients are located. There is a specific clause in the templates that confirms that the laws of your specific location will govern your agreement, subject to certain laws we have to adhere to.
How long do the contracts take to set up?
On average, it takes about 30-60 minutes to review and customize the contract for the first time. Then it should only take a couple of minutes each time you need to send it out to new clients.
Not sure what clauses to include?
Inside the Sure Strides Society, we regularly break down real contracts, scope scenarios, and boundary-setting decisions from member businesses so you don’t have to figure it out alone.
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