Copycat Contracts 😼

Reusing contracts ain't so bad, is it?

Hey founders et al. In today’s edition, we explore how to copy (err, re-purpose) other contracts for your business. We also highlight great attorneys and tools in the world of contracts. To participate in our unmatched and unforgettable referral program, scroll to the bottom.

Copycat Contracts 😼

For bootstrapped founders, sometimes the best way to draft a contract is to grab something similar and change it to fit the company's needs. But is it legal? For fear of giving an "it depends" answer, i’ll say “it’s pretty low risk”... if done correctly.

If you’re not a lawyer, and you need an employment agreement or master services agreement tomorrow, there are a few practical things you can do to piece together a contract and make it your own. I go over those in this article posted on our public Notion site.

Tools and Resources

There are some excellent contract specific resources out there that founders may not know about. We are always adding to this list. See the full list of resources here. 

• Contract Templates: Contract template generators are everywhere these days. I like ones that have a strong UI and a solid library of template documents. Avodocs and Priori both have these qualities. The downside is that both are designed for lead-generation... so you may need to provide a little info to get what you need.

• Educational Content: The Contract Teardown Podcast does a great job breaking down legal concepts for business minds and lawyers alike. In this episode, they break down the Salesforce MSA. This is valuable info for anyone in the SaaS world who wants to know what legal thought goes into SaaS agreements. Check out other episodes here.

• Contract Databases: I mentioned re-using contracts for your own business purpose above. Lawinsider is pretty much the mother-load of publicly available contracts. Search through publicly available contracts or specific clauses of contracts. At a certain point, you will need a subscription... But it is a great place to find language you may need for you contract or just to get an idea of what’s out there. A great demo video is available here.

Remember, don’t use any language that you don’t fully understand. That’s when lawyers are needed. Have any resources you'd recommend to other founders? Please fill out this form.

Lawyer Spotlight

We love highlighting founder-friendly lawyers doing great work in startup spaces. Check out our database of founder friendly firms and lawyers for previously highlighted lawyers. 

“Andrew helped us with incorporating our business, drafting operating agreements, and employment law matters for hiring. He was easy to work with, understood my business’s needs and my budget, and turned things around fast.”

Andrew Avorn and his boutique practice, Avorn Law, have deep experience in counseling founders, startups, and venture-backed companies from pre-incorporation through pre-IPO. Their clients span all industries and verticals, including SaaS, D2C brands, Biotech companies, AI software businesses, and more. Check out their client list here. Thanks Andrew for being founder friendly!

Reviewing founder profile: D2C, e-commerce, 1-9 employees

Work completed: Incorporation, corporate work, employment law, commercial contracts

Have you worked with a great lawyer you’d like to recommend to other founders? Fill out this form to spread the love!

Referral Program (yes, it’s real)

If you share this newsletter with 10 founders or lawyers, I will send you a 1 of 1 autographed picture of my dog, Dylan. Signed by her, with video proof. And I’ll take your word for it, just email me at heycounsel@substack.com.

Thanks for reading. Stay lawyerly.

Brian