Contract help / possible contra-deal!

[StephenSumner]

Hi,

I hope this post is not frowned upon by the admins.

I'm in need of getting two fairly standard legal documents put together for my business, one is a sales contract and the other is an NDA document.

I was wondering if there is anyone here who has the legal qualifications to help with the above in return for me providing some online marketing consultancy for their business to an equivalent value?

Do drop me a PM if you are in a position to help.

Thanks

 

[ethical PR]

Quite honestly, I would suggest you invest in getting proper legal advice around such important documents for your business.

If you want to save money than draft out what you want your terms to look like and then ask for advice on them for someone who is legally qualified ie. not just with a qualification in law, but who is qualified to practice law.

There are companies that specialise in T&Cs who are likely to be cheaper than using a solicitor.

 

[StephenSumner]

I am willing to invest, I'm just hoping to do it as a contra-deal and of course, I want to do this with someone who is qualified and proper.

I have a good idea of what I need including an example document.

 

[LawHound]

One of the reasons we set up our business was to help small business owners in a way we could not do in a formal solicitors' practice due to the cost of regulation. That means writing hundreds of contracts and NDAs each year. We have not worked on a barter basis for years. Is this the only way you want to work with a lawyer?

 

[StephenSumner]

One of the reasons we set up our business was to help small business owners in a way we could not do in a formal solicitors' practice due to the cost of regulation. That means writing hundreds of contracts and NDAs each year. We have not worked on a barter basis for years. Is this the only way you want to work with a lawyer?

In this instance, I have some set-up costs and I want to try and mitigate them if possible and a contra-deal could work quite well for two parties. This sort of arrangement is not that uncommon and is actually quite logical.

 

[LawHound]

Good luck with your quest.

 

[obscure]

I am willing to invest, I'm just hoping to do it as a contra-deal and of course, I want to do this with someone who is qualified and proper.

Can you provide details of your qualifications?

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Why should you expect a professional to work for free when they earn there living by charging, If you can afford to barter then you can afford to pay

People on here are used to answering specific problems but expecting them to do more is taking the P**S

 

[StephenSumner]

Why should you expect a professional to work for free when they earn there living by charging

Go to Specsavers and then read my post again, specifically the part about "contra-deal".

I'm not asking for anyone do work for me for free, I'm looking to trade time on two specialist skill sets. Law / Online Marketing.

Anyone who has an entrepreneurial mindset will have come across this practice and it can be very beneficial when two parties can strike a deal. If you don't have anything positive to say why not just go and be negative somewhere else, especially not a business forum!

 

[kulture]

I have moved this to tenders. But i suspect that your attitude above will reduce the likelihood of getting a partnership.

 

[antropy]

I have moved this to tenders. But i suspect that your attitude above will reduce the likelihood of getting a partnership.

Doesn't seem to be striking the right cord about a 'collaboration' or 'partnership'. If you need specialist help, then you need to pay for it. Alex

 

[StephenSumner]

Doesn't seem to be striking the right cord about a 'collaboration' or 'partnership'. If you need specialist help, then you need to pay for it. Alex

So contra-deals are not your thing, fine but they exist and are useful to those open to them.

 

[antropy]

So contra-deals are not your thing, fine but they exist and are useful to those open to them.

I guess they can but they only make sense if you can find someone who just happens to require the exact service you offer in the exact same amount to the service they offer and you would also have chosen each other ... why not just use money, it was invented for this purpose. Paul.

 

[StephenSumner]

Well, generally legal companies have pretty lousy online marketing as an industry and I think there is always no reason to just put the question out there.

I've negotiated contra-deals for large exhibition spaces at several events including at Earls Court, advertising deals in international magazines and similar to my above proposition several times to the satisfaction of the parties involved. But posting in this forum I get people accusing me of taking the p***. I would have thought, putting an enterprising idea out there, would be celebrated, not treated in a negative light as it has been.

As it happens someone has kindly got in touch with me.

 

[antropy]

But posting in this forum I get people accusing me of taking the p***. I would have thought, putting an enterprising idea out there, would be celebrated, not treated in a negative light as it has been.

Well please forgive that, I'd imagine everyone here is used to having p**s taking requests day in day out, we've had a few over the years. Paul.

 

[paulears]

Actually, barter is a nice way to do business if the value is equivalent, but mostly it's only workable if both sides want something. Working for free, with something intangible like 'consultancy' as a return seems a no go area. Why would a solicitor want consultancy services? It seems the kind of thing newcomers require when entering new fields, rather than established businesses? I've done it quite a few times when I want things like sound services, when the week after the sound company might want lighting stuff? In practice, it means I work two shows and invoice for just one. They do the same, and I satisfy my contract price with freebies, and then they do the same. We don't even need to charge the same prices, and it's the 'worth' of two broadly similar jobs that sets parity, not invoice totals. There are often practical savings too - in travel, accommodation, food, and time. Two shows, back to back with different production companies, but sharing the same sound and lighting - works pretty well.

 

[StephenSumner]

Actually, barter is a nice way to do business if the value is equivalent, but mostly it's only workable if both sides want something. Working for free, with something intangible like 'consultancy' as a return seems a no go area. Why would a solicitor want consultancy services? It seems the kind of thing newcomers require when entering new fields, rather than established businesses? I've done it quite a few times when I want things like sound services, when the week after the sound company might want lighting stuff? In practice, it means I work two shows and invoice for just one. They do the same, and I satisfy my contract price with freebies, and then they do the same. We don't even need to charge the same prices, and it's the 'worth' of two broadly similar jobs that sets parity, not invoice totals. There are often practical savings too - in travel, accommodation, food, and time. Two shows, back to back with different production companies, but sharing the same sound and lighting - works pretty well.

Well, yes I did perhaps fail to describe my offering and it's certainly not just "consultancy" but also I did not want to be seen too spammy either.

Anyway, various lessons learnt I guess.

 

[paulears]

You seem to have a snag in that to do a sensible deal, you first need a partner who is looking for what you offer. Your post doesn't really do that, so just comes across like a bit off a one-way deal in practical terms.

 

[StephenSumner]

You seem to have a snag in that to do a sensible deal, you first need a partner who is looking for what you offer. Your post doesn't really do that, so just comes across like a bit off a one-way deal in practical terms.

Clearly I've failed and I will learn in future.

 

[stugster]

Did you get anywhere with this?

 

[StephenSumner]

Yes I did, I have had a full legal contract drawn up and I have traded the equivalent hours back in SEO/Adwords work.