Why You Need a Business Contract Lawyer. If you're asking whether you need a lawyer to draft a contract, legally, the answer is no. Anyone can draft a contract on their own and as long as the elements above are included and both parties are legally competent and consent to the agreement, it is generally lawful.
This proves that the contract is legally binding and that you and the other parties have accepted the terms and the obligations conveyed by the document. But, you do not need to always sign contracts for them to be legally enforceable. Indeed, you can accept them by conduct or even verbally.
To be considered legally binding, a document must include the valid signatures of all parties entering into an agreement and outline all the duties and responsibilities each has to the other(s).
Ing to Boundy (2012), typically, a written contract will include: Date of agreement. Names of parties to the agreement. Preliminary clauses. Defined terms. Main contract clauses. Schedules/appendices and signature provisions (para. 5).