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Small Business Contract Guide and Checklist
Someone just sent you a contract. Before you sign it, walk through it here.
Use the free checker to go through any agreement point by point, then read the plain-English guide for the type of contract in front of you. Contracts are the part of this work I enjoy most, and many of the disputes I see started with a document nobody read closely.
The before you sign contract checker
Pick the type of agreement, then answer each question with the contract in front of you. Anything you mark "No" or "Not sure" becomes your list of questions to raise before you sign.
This checker is general information, not legal advice. It does not read your contract, and nothing you select is sent or saved. Using it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
A plain-English guide by agreement
What each common small business agreement is for, and where to read more.
Client and service agreements
Spells out the scope of work, payment terms, timelines, intellectual property ownership, and what happens if either side needs to end the relationship early.
Contract draftingIndependent contractor agreements
Defines the work and payment, assigns ownership of what the contractor creates, protects confidential information, and reflects how the relationship actually works.
Read the guideNon-disclosure agreements
Defines the confidential information, limits how it may be used, sets how long the obligations last, and explains what happens to the information when the relationship ends.
Read the guideVendor and supplier agreements
Sets what you are buying, when it arrives, what happens when something is wrong, and whether the price can change during the term.
Contract draftingCommercial leases
A commercial lease is often one of the largest financial commitments a small business makes, and it is worth having it reviewed before you sign.
Lease reviewOnline contract templates
A template can be fine for a simple, low-dollar, one-time transaction. It is the wrong tool when the agreement involves intellectual property, an employee or contractor, a personal guarantee, or real money.
Read the guide5 essential contracts every Connecticut small business needs
Clauses that sound protective and are not
I see all of these in documents clients bring me after the fact.
- An overly broad non-competeA non-compete that bars a contractor from working anywhere in the industry for years is unlikely to be enforced as written.
- A penalty clauseA flat charge that is unrelated to any real loss can be struck.
- A borrowed indemnity clauseAn indemnity clause copied from a corporate deal may make you the one doing the indemnifying.
- A one-sided limitation of liabilityA cap that limits your recovery to the fee you paid protects the other side, not you.
- A contract that describes a different dealIf the template says payment on completion but you agreed to a deposit, the contract is a record of an agreement you never made.
Common questions
What should I check before signing a business contract?
Check that the right parties are named, the terms match the deal you made, payment and termination terms are clear, any automatic renewal is visible, the liability terms are balanced, you are not signing a personal guarantee you did not expect, the governing law is stated, and every blank and attachment is complete. The checker on this page walks through those points, plus the items specific to service agreements, independent contractor agreements, NDAs, vendor agreements, and commercial leases.
Are online contract templates legally binding in Connecticut?
Generally yes. A contract is formed when there is an offer, acceptance, and consideration, and a signed template can meet those elements as well as any other document, although some agreements must also be in writing. Binding is not the same as protective, though. A template can be fully enforceable and still leave you exposed on the terms that matter.
If I pay a freelancer to create something for my business, do I own it?
Not automatically. Unless the work is a work made for hire, the freelancer is the author, and ownership transfers only through a signed writing (17 U.S.C. Sections 201 and 204). That is why an independent contractor agreement should include a written assignment of what the contractor creates.
Does Harborage Law review contracts someone else drafted?
Yes. Contract review and redlining before you sign is one of the core services Harborage Law provides for Connecticut businesses, with the risky terms flagged clearly and flat fees quoted in writing before any work begins.
Is the contract checker legal advice?
No. The checker is general information to help you organize your questions about an agreement. It does not read your document, and nothing you select is sent, saved, or seen by Harborage Law. Using it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Have a contract in front of you?
If you have a template you are about to use or a contract someone just sent you, I am glad to look at it and tell you honestly whether it needs work. My Risk Assessment is another place to start.
The consultation is free. Other third-party costs, such as government filing, professional search, records, certified-copy, courier, or postage fees, are your responsibility and are passed through at cost. Harborage Law does not handle court or litigation matters, so your matter will not involve court costs or litigation expenses.
This page is general information about Connecticut and federal law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Attorney Tony N. Woolard is admitted to the Connecticut bar (Juris No. 442912). Contract services are provided for Connecticut matters.