Clause guides
The clauses that decide what a contract does to you
Plain-English explanations of the terms people sign without reading — what each one means, what is normal, and what to ask for instead. No billable hour required.
choosing a tool
How to Review a Contract Without a Lawyer (in 30 Minutes)
The order to read a contract in, the seven clauses that cause most of the damage, and the point at which you should stop and pay an attorney instead.
Using ChatGPT to Review a Contract: What It Misses
A general chatbot can explain a clause. Here is what it does not do on a real contract, tested side by side, and when that difference costs you money.
risk allocation
Termination Clause Explained: How to Actually Get Out
For cause, for convenience, and the cure period between them - plus what survives the contract ending and who pays for work already done.
Force Majeure Clause Explained: When It Actually Excuses You
What force majeure covers, why the listed events matter more than the concept, and the three tests a court applies before it excuses performance.
Indemnification Clause Explained: What You're Agreeing To
What an indemnity actually obligates you to pay, how it differs from a warranty, and the four limits that turn an open-ended clause into a survivable one.
vendor and saas
Liability Cap Explained: What's Inside It, What Escapes
How liability caps are usually set, which claims are carved out and become uncapped, and why the carve-out list matters more than the number itself.
Auto-Renewal Clause Explained: How to Actually Get Out
Why the notice window has usually passed before anyone looks, how renewal dates are really calculated, and the wording that caps price rises on renewal.
freelance and consulting
IP Assignment vs License: Which Are You Really Signing?
Assignment transfers ownership permanently; a license grants permission. Where the line sits in employment, freelance and brand contracts - and why it matters.
Freelance Contract Red Flags: 11 Clauses That Cost You Money
The payment triggers, IP timing, revision traps and uncapped indemnities that turn a friendly client contract into an expensive one - and how to fix each.
nda and confidentiality
Residuals Clause Explained: Using What You Remember
A residuals clause lets you use knowledge retained in unaided memory. Why recipients want it, disclosers resist it, and how it is usually compromised.
Mutual vs Unilateral NDA: Which One Should You Be Signing?
When a one-way NDA is appropriate, when asking for mutual is reasonable, and the six clauses that behave differently depending on which you sign.
NDA Review Checklist: 14 Clauses to Check Before Signing
The definition, the term, the carve-outs and the restrictions hidden inside a confidentiality agreement - what is standard and what to push back on.
employment
Employment Contract Review Checklist: 21 Things to Check
The clauses that decide what happens if you leave, ranked by how often they cause real damage - with what is standard and what to ask for.
Waiver of Claims in a Severance Agreement: What You Give Up
What a release of claims actually covers, which claims cannot be waived by law, and the terms worth negotiating before you sign the agreement.
Equity Acceleration Explained: Single vs Double Trigger
What accelerates your unvested equity when the company is acquired, why double trigger is the norm, and the wording that decides if you qualify.
Stock Option Cliff Vesting Explained: The Dates to Know
How a vesting cliff works, why day 364 and day 366 are worth a year of equity, and the exercise window that quietly makes vested options worthless.
Clawback Clauses in Employment Contracts: What You Repay
Signing bonus, relocation and training clawbacks explained - including why repaying the gross amount can cost more than you ever received.
Non-Solicitation of Customers vs Employees: Two Clauses
Customer and employee non-solicits look alike and behave completely differently. Here is what each one blocks and how far each can be narrowed.
Is My Non-Compete Enforceable? The Tests Courts Apply
The four factors that decide whether a non-compete holds up, the states where it is void regardless, and how to read your own clause against them.
Restrictive Covenant vs Non-Compete: The Difference
A non-compete is one type of restrictive covenant. Knowing the other four - and which courts actually enforce - changes what you should negotiate.
Garden Leave vs Severance: Which One Is Better for You?
Garden leave keeps you employed; severance ends it. The difference decides your benefits, your equity, your restrictions and your right to sue.
Garden Leave Clause Explained: What It Means and Costs
What a garden leave clause actually does, who pays during it, whether it counts towards your non-compete, and the three terms worth negotiating.
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