When you refuse to sign the client’s contract…
Over 50,000 professional and freelance designers and developers. Post your design project once and review up to eight proposals. Save time, save money. Over 5000 projects delivered since 2006.
|
| ||||||||
| E-commerce Database Blog Social Paypal Registration Twitter | |||||||||
| Compare: | |||||||||
I walked away from a contract today.
We had already come to a handshake agreement on deliverables, dates and fees. “But before we get started, we’ll need you to sign our master services agreement (MSA) and nondisclosure agreement (NDA).” While I have a contract of my own, they argued that their contracts superseded mine.
The documents were handed off to me late on a Friday afternoon. I spent two hours of my Sunday evening reviewing and carefully noting problematic sections and editing them per earlier advice from an attorney who warned me about red flags and how to counter them. Why Sunday? Well, the deadline was tight and I wanted to be able to hit the ground running on Monday. I returned the eight-page MSA and four-page NDA to the client and that’s when the pressure began.
Evidently “no one makes changes to the MSA” and a review by a panel of corporate attorneys “could take weeks,” a time frame that the project simply didn’t have. I knew that this was just a ploy to try to get me to reconsider my position and blindly sign the papers. So I had to decide: was it worth the paycheck even if the terms were potentially harmful to me?
I read through the documents one more time. The MSA contained terms that would be potentially damaging in the long term, but also were impossible and financially unreasonable in the short term (requiring $3,000,000 in liability coverage specific to my work with this client).
I stressed about it. I worried. I played out all of the scenarios in my head. Ultimately, I decided to forego the paycheck. I left a voicemail and email for my contact explaining that I needed to walk away because my changes were non-negotiable. And what do you know: within minutes I was told that the attorneys were “reconsidering” my edits and would get back to me ASAP.
I don’t know how the negotiations will end, but now that I’ve accepted that it’s ok to walk away, there’s no more stress. I’m in control of how the situation will work out.
Have you ever walked away from a project because of onerous contractual terms?
Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:21:58 GMT
Tags: Alisa Bonsignore, Client Relations, contracts, Designers, Freelancers Union, Illustrators, Money, MSA, NDA, negotiating, Photographers, Writers,
Over 50,000 professional and freelance designers and developers. Post your design project once and review up to eight proposals. Save time, save money. Over 5000 projects delivered since 2006.
|
| ||||||||
| E-commerce Database Blog Social Paypal Registration Twitter | |||||||||
| Compare: | |||||||||
Related Tags: Alisa Bonsignore
The Perennial Debate: Quality vs. Quantity?
The fact is that once I embraced the inevitable highs and lows of freelance work – and even after all these years, there are always crazy weeks and calm weeks – I learned that I didn’t need to have that consistent client. I’ve come to appreciate my slow,
Time to Speak Up
Like most people, I’ve spent a lifetime avoiding public speaking. But in the past year, there have been more than a few occasions where I’ve sat at conferences thinking, “Someone should host a session about XYZ,” and the little voice inside my head said,
Related Tags: Client Relations
Lesson 4: When to suck it up
I’ve spoken numerous times about only working with clients who are a good fit and how you should work with clients with whom you can do your best work. Generally, I still believe that. But I also believe that sometimes you have to suck it up.
Bye Bye Hoodies
I hit a new low last week; I must admit my secret. Hopefully it’s the first step to recovery. Last week, I went to the supermarket in my pajamas. Yes, PAJAMAS. The pajama pants were black, but they had pink lace trimming, which I simply tucked inside my U
Related Tags: contracts
Need Interactive Website Design? Check out our member profiles:
SERVING ALL OF MICHIGAN - Professional, Customized, Search Engine Optimized Websites. Typical price range is $175 - $5,000. OTHER SERVICES INCLUDE: Logo Design, Graphic Design / Print Design, and
detroit , Michigan US
Web design: HTML / CSS; Photoshop Web Graphics; Flash Animation; Search Engine Marketing & Website Optimization. Boston area web professionals are welcome to post a free link to their sites in the EJ
quincy , Massachusetts US
Professionally design websites for small business at affordable rates. Graphic, Logo and Business Card Design Serices. Locally Owned And Operated.
pensacola , Florida US
Providing Creative Web Design and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). 360 is Located in the Heart of the Hudson Valley, NY. We Service Clients Globaly! Is Your Web site Optimized For Search Engines? If
hyde Park , New York US
Spanish (Espa?ol), Bilingual (Biling?e), & Multilingual Web Design (Dise?o) & development for professionals & small business in the Greater Las Vegas Area : Translations, Graphic & Photo Editing, Audi
North Las Vegas , Nevada USOver 50,000 professional and freelance designers and developers. Post your design project once and review up to eight proposals. Save time, save money. Over 5000 projects delivered since 2006.
|
| ||||||||
| E-commerce Database Blog Social Paypal Registration Twitter | |||||||||
| Compare: | |||||||||
Get 8 Free Bids:
Service
Location:
Budget:
Deadline:
Compare:
Get 8 Free Bids:
Service
Location:
Budget:
Deadline:
Compare:
10 most weird concept cars at Frankfurt Motor Show
Pratima Kalra: The fancy of Frankfurt disciples, both consumers and companies, is being enthralled b
Crunch: A piggy bank that lets adults develop a habit of saving money
Ruchika Pahwa: When we look at kids saving their coins in a small toy bank, don't we too feel like b
Ladies Bluetooth bracelet displays time and vibrates on phone calls
Abhinav Shrivastava: The concept Are you one of those women who forget their cellphones at office,
Flightless birds give new wings to your iPhone
Shallu Sharma: We all have grown up listening to the phrase that a bird in the hand is better than t
Evanescent interactive clock tells time with a difference
Jaazhh: Clocks have been changing appearances for attracting prospect buyers. While wall clocks ha
Article Tags
Interactive Website Design Articles
Lifestyle
Inspiration
Designers
Concepts
gadgets
Freelancing
Freelancers Union
All Posts
Writers
web design
architecture
Featured
design
Marketing
Transportation
Tips
Premium
Illustrators
Freebies
Friends:
Ecommerce Web Design