IT consultant contract
Document overview
- England & Wales
- Scotland
- Length:16 pages (4000 words)
- Available in:Microsoft Word DOCXApple PagesRTF
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About this contract
This contract is for a self-employed contractor working in information technology or another field where the client works with sensitive information or intellectual property (such as software systems) of value.
The project could be large or small. The same document can be used for single or multiple assignments (e.g. extensions to a project, or new pieces of work of a similar nature). All that is needed is to provide a new specification of work, and reference the original contract.
The sorts of work that could be done under this agreement include:
- customising third party software to the client's requirements
- hardware installations
- maintaining the network and PCs of a small business
The reasons to use this contract are twofold.
First, it helps establish the consultant’s status as self-employed under IR35.
Secondly, it gives the consultant legal strength – both legitimacy to recover payment due on time, and protection against claims from the client that work wasn’t carried out as agreed. However, the document is drawn to be acceptable to the client.
We provide options in several areas, notably the main contract terms, means of payment, working arrangements and delivery of work.
Alternative documents
If you don't need the provisions relating to intellectual property protection, then the standard consultant's contract might be more suitable.
We also have a shorter consultancy contract with fewer provisions for simpler jobs.
Contents
The provisions in this document include:
- Definitions and interpretation
- Preliminary legal matters
- Consultant's status
- Contract summary and payment
- Consultant's requirements and obligations
- Option for exclusions from contract - matters which could be misunderstood
- Option for use of subcontractors
- Confidentiality
- New intellectual property
- Intellectual property rights indemnity by client
- Option for no competition (if your client insists)
- Limitation of your liability
- Duration and termination
- Other legal provisions
- Publicity and announcements
- Miscellaneous matters
There are also over 2,100 words of helpful and informative drafting notes.
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