TL;DR: There is no global standard for non-compete enforceability, and the gap between jurisdictions is wider in 2026 than it was even two years ago. In the United States, the FTC’s attempt at a nationwide ban is dead, vacated by a federal court in 2024, upheld on appeal, and formally removed from the Code of […]
Category Archives: Contracts & Agreements
14
Aug
Aug
TL;DR: Contract mistakes are expensive in a specific way other business mistakes are not: a bad marketing decision can be reversed next week, but a bad contract locks you into unfavourable terms for months or years, and unwinding it costs legal fees on top of whatever the bad terms already cost you. Seven categories of […]
07
Aug
Aug
TL;DR: Yes, you can sometimes break a contract after signing it without facing legal consequences, but only in specific, recognised situations, not simply because you changed your mind. The difference that matters is between legal termination, which you walk away from cleanly, and breach, which exposes you to damages, legal fees, and reputational cost. The […]
06
Aug
Aug
TL;DR: Before a new client starts paying you, a handful of documents need to be signed, not drafted eventually, not “we’ll sort it out later.” At minimum: a Master Service Agreement or main services contract, an NDA if anything confidential will be shared, a properly worded independent contractor agreement if you are not an employee, […]
01
Aug
Aug
TL;DR: A warranty deed is the seller’s legal promise that they actually own the property they are selling you, that the title is free of hidden problems, and that they will defend your ownership if a claim surfaces later. Not every deed makes that promise. A general warranty deed covers the property’s entire history; a […]
19
Jul
Jul
TL;DR: Contract review is the systematic process of examining every clause in an agreement before you sign it, covering scope, payment, liability, termination, and dispute resolution. Most costly contract mistakes come from skipping this process under time pressure, not from genuinely complex legal language. High-stakes agreements, partnerships, major vendor deals, employment contracts for key staff, […]
15
Jul
Jul
TL;DR: A contract does not become enforceable just because both parties signed it. US courts look for four specific elements, offer and acceptance, consideration, capacity, and legality, and even where those are present, ambiguous language, one-sided terms, or a missing written record can still sink an otherwise valid agreement. This guide covers what American courts […]
12
Jul
Jul
TL;DR: You signed up for what looked like a trial or a simple service, and now you are staring at a contract that claims you owe thousands of dollars with “no cancellation under any circumstances” printed across it. Take a breath: that language is designed to intimidate you into paying, and in most countries it […]
10
Jul
Jul
TL;DR: This is not another explainer on what a contract is or what clauses to include, those are covered in depth in our guides on what makes an agreement legally binding and what should be included in every business contract. This is a working list of practical tips for small business owners who already have […]
02
Jul
Jul
TL;DR: A smart contract is self-executing code on a blockchain that automatically carries out agreed actions once predetermined conditions are met, releasing payment on delivery confirmation, for example, without further human intervention. The useful answer to whether they are legally enforceable is not a simple yes or no; it is that a smart contract can […]