I’m going to try to be brief here, but there’s so much to say on this topic. First, if you’re like me (Mairin here), your business is your baby (or one of them). Do you want to entrust the protection of your baby to a nameless, faceless corporation on the internet? Also, I won’t name names here, but many of those templates you’re seeing weren’t drafted by attorneys. Even if they were, many (and I’ve audited more than a few) are missing critical clauses or aren’t up-to-date with current laws and regulations. Basic coaching agreements are generally bare bones and leave out a lot of information that not only protects you legally, but also helps clearly outline client and coach responsibilities and obligations at the outset, so both parties are on the same page. Same thing with freelancer and independent contractor agreements.
In addition, should you have a question about any of the templates, you can’t reach out to an actual attorney for an answer. Many will put you in touch with an attorney, but that attorney is not officially associated with them, and you will have to pay to consult with that attorney. Further, many of the “free” templates aren’t really free. The basic clauses might be, but if you want for example GDPR compliance, you will have to pay for it.
In a nutshell, free templates are problematic because they:
- May not include all of the essential information you need to be legally protected or compliant
- Might not be accurate or up-to- date
- Might not provide the customization you need to fully protect yourself and your business.
This is a big no. First, legal policies, boring and drab as they are, are still copyrighted work. “Borrowing” someone else’s legal policy is theft and constitutes copyright infringement. Also, there’s a good chance that your friend’s Privacy Policy is missing clauses you need to be legally compliant. Laws change frequently and differ from country to country. For example, your friend might not live in the European Union, and his policy might not have the requisite information your policy needs. It’s best to purchase a policy that will get you legally compliant in your jurisdiction and won’t land you in hot water a la copyright infringement.
Having an attorney prepare custom documents for your business allows you to have an expert fully customize your contracts specifically to your business. If you need custom documents, head here for more information on working with Mairin 1:1. Certain situations and circumstances such as: having an agency, forming a formal partnership with another business owner, forming a business that works with clients in-person and online (i.e. more risk involved than just online clients), licensing something you’ve created, etc.. should all be handled via custom documents.
However, working directly with a lawyer can be expensive and out of budget for many business owners. Our templates are drafted to be as comprehensive as possible. We like to think that our templates are the happy medium between dangerous free templates which can leave you non-compliant and vulnerable, and custom documents from an attorney which can cost you $$$$$.
No. Viewing, purchasing, and downloading any templates or resources from Solivagant Legal does not create an attorney-client relationship between Solivagant Legal and you, or Mairin Van Shura and you. We do not offer legal advice on this website.
Sorry, no. We’re not a law firm and all of our products, services and resources are intended for your informational use only. We advise you to consult an attorney familiar with your jurisdiction’s laws. For legal tips about running a business, however, check out our Resources page if you haven’t already. Also, our Legal Tips for Online Entrepreneurs & Nomads Facebook Group provides regular legal tips and insight on starting and running an online business, as well as discussion of legal issues group members are encountering running their businesses.
Sorry, no. When you purchase a template(s), your purchase is for your use only. If you have multiple businesses, you can customize and use the templates for that business, but you cannot share purchased templates. Please see our Terms and Conditions for more information on intellectual property.
Yes, you’re welcome to use the templates for another business you own, just can’t share with someone else. Please see above.
Once you complete the payment process, you’ll be able to download your contract(s) from checkout if you PIF. You’ll also receive an email from us with instructions and a video tutorial walking you through the important provisions of each contract, so you know what each means and how to customize them. If you haven’t received a follow-up email from us and it isn’t in your Spam folder, please email us ASAP at hello@solivagantlegal.com.
Sorry, no. The templates are an instant download, so we can’t offer returns or refunds. If you have any questions about customization not covered by the instructional video accompanying your purchase, please contact hello@solivagantlegal.com.
Absolutely. All of our contract templates are drafted to be applicable anywhere in the world. We have business owners using our contracts in more than 17 countries! In each contract, you’ll be able to customize for your specific geographic location.
You have two options. In the description of each contract or bundle, you’ll have a button that says “purchase with Partial.ly.” If you click that button, you’ll be taken to a checkout where you can pay a down payment, and then you’ll see what payments remain, and when they’ll be deducted from your credit card.
Alternatively, after you’ve added contracts to your cart, you can click the cart icon in the top right corner of your screen, and that will take you to checkout. If you have a discount code because you’ve bought from us previously (thank you!) or you’ve been referred by an affiliate, you can enter that in the discount code section on the left side of the screen, and then click purchase with Partial.ly.