Can I write my own contract — will it hold up?

Yes. A contract doesn't need a lawyer's letterhead to bind — it needs the essentials (parties, work, payment, signatures) and clauses that actually cover your risks. That second part is where generic templates fall short, and where a tailored draft you've reviewed clause by clause earns its keep.

What clauses does a services agreement actually need?

The contested ones: scope (what's in and what's out), payment terms with a late-payment mechanism, IP ownership on payment, a liability cap, termination with notice, confidentiality, and a change-order route for scope creep. GitLaw includes each one and explains what it does for you.

Can I charge late fees — and how much?

US: there's no federal rate — a contractual late charge around 1.5% per month is the common norm, subject to state limits. UK: even if the contract said nothing, B2B invoices carry statutory interest at 8% over the Bank of England base rate plus fixed recovery sums (£40–£100 per invoice) under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 — GitLaw's UK agreement builds that right in expressly.

Who owns the work — doesn't the client own what they paid for?

Not automatically, in either country. In the US, contractor work only counts as 'work made for hire' in nine narrow statutory categories and with a signed writing — most design, software and marketing work doesn't qualify, so client ownership needs an express assignment. In the UK, the author owns commissioned work by default (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s.11). A clean assignment-on-payment clause protects both sides — and it's exactly what generic templates get wrong.

Is this IR35-compliant (UK) — and who decides my status?

The UK consultancy variant is drafted with outside-IR35 markers (a substitution right, no mutuality of obligation, contractor control over the method), but status ultimately follows the working reality — and for medium and large clients it's the client who must determine it. Treat the contract as necessary but not sufficient, and take advice on borderline engagements.

What's a kill fee — and how do I stop scope creep?

A kill fee is a pre-agreed charge (typically 25–50% of the remaining fees) if the client cancels mid-project — it turns a dead project into paid time. Scope creep is handled by the change-order clause: new work needs a signed change order with its own fee, so 'quick extras' become billable decisions rather than favours.

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Not a mail-merge template: payment terms, IP hand-over, a liability cap and scope-change control, drafted for your engagement — with the agent explaining why each clause is there.

GitLaw drafts with tried & tested templates like:Professional services agreement — Common Paper

CLIENT SERVICES AGREEMENT

This agreement is made between Harbor & Slate Consulting (the "Provider") and Juniper Retail Group (the "Client").

1. Services. The Provider will provide the Client with the services described in the attached scope of work (the "Services"), with the skill and care reasonably expected of a professional provider. 2. Term. This agreement starts when both parties sign and continues until the Services are complete, unless ended earlier under clause 8. 3. Fees and payment. The Client will pay the fees set out in the scope of work. Invoices are due within 14 days. Overdue balances accrue a late charge of 1.5% per month, or the highest rate allowed by law if lower, and the Provider may pause work while any invoice is more than 14 days overdue. 4. Scope changes. Work outside the scope of work requires a signed change order stating the change, the fee and any revised timeline. Neither party is bound by a change until it is agreed in writing. 5. Intellectual property. On payment in full, the Provider assigns to the Client all right, title and interest in the final deliverables. The Provider keeps ownership of its pre-existing tools, templates and know-how, and grants the Client a perpetual licence to use them as embedded in the deliverables. 6. Confidentiality. Each party will keep the other's non-public information confidential and use it only to perform this agreement. 7. Liability. Each party's total liability under this agreement is capped at the fees paid or payable in the 12 months before the claim, and neither party is liable for indirect or consequential loss. Nothing in this agreement limits liability that cannot be limited by law. 8. Termination. Either party may end this agreement on 30 days' written notice. The Client will pay for all work performed to the end date, plus the agreed cancellation fee, if any. Either party may end this agreement immediately if the other materially breaches it and fails to cure the breach within 14 days of written notice. 9. Relationship. The Provider is an independent contractor, not an employee, and is responsible for its own taxes. 10. Governing law. This agreement is governed by the law of the state named in the scope of work, and the parties submit to the courts of that state.

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GitLaw drafts with tried & tested templates like:Master services agreement (UK)

CLIENT SERVICES AGREEMENT

This agreement is made between Harbor & Slate Consulting (the "Provider") and Juniper Retail Group (the "Client").

1. Services. The Provider will provide the Client with the services described in the attached statement of work (the "Services"), with reasonable skill and care. 2. Term. This agreement starts when both parties sign and continues until the Services are complete, unless ended earlier under clause 8. 3. Fees and payment. The Client will pay the fees set out in the statement of work. Invoices are due within 14 days. Overdue sums carry statutory interest at 8% a year above the Bank of England base rate, plus fixed recovery costs, under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, and the Provider may suspend work while any invoice is more than 14 days overdue. 4. Scope changes. Work outside the statement of work requires a signed variation stating the change, the fee and any revised timeline. Neither party is bound by a variation until it is agreed in writing. 5. Intellectual property. On payment in full, the Provider assigns to the Client, with full title guarantee, all intellectual property rights in the final deliverables. The Provider keeps ownership of its pre-existing tools, templates and know-how, and grants the Client a perpetual licence to use them as embedded in the deliverables. 6. Confidentiality. Each party will keep the other's non-public information confidential and use it only to perform this agreement. 7. Liability. Each party's total liability under this agreement is capped at the fees paid or payable in the 12 months before the claim, and neither party is liable for indirect or consequential loss. Nothing in this agreement excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law. 8. Termination. Either party may end this agreement on 30 days' written notice. The Client will pay for all work performed to the end date, plus the agreed cancellation fee, if any. Either party may end this agreement immediately if the other materially breaches it and fails to remedy the breach within 14 days of written notice. 9. Relationship. The Provider is an independent contractor. Nothing in this agreement creates an employment relationship, partnership or agency between the parties. 10. Governing law. This agreement is governed by the law of England and Wales, and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of its courts.

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GitLaw drafts with trusted templates from its library

Professional services agreement — Common Paper Master services agreement (UK)Consulting agreement

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What a generic template leaves on the table

Free templates skip the clauses that actually get contested — payment, IP ownership, liability, scope creep. GitLaw drafts them for your engagement and explains why each one is there.

$59+per download for a generic template elsewhere

8% + basestatutory late-payment interest a UK agreement can invoke

£40–£100fixed recovery sums UK law adds per late invoice

LegalZoom published pricing; gov.uk guidance on late commercial payments

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How it works

Name the engagement

Your business, your client, your jurisdiction — plus anything unusual about the deal.

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GitLaw drafts the agreement and explains why each clause is in it — so you know what you're asking for and what you can trade.

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