Florida law says that non-disclosure agreements are enforceable if the drafting party can justify the existence of the document with a legitimate business interest. Non-disclosure agreements can protect trade secrets, sensitive business data, and other things that a business would want to keep confidential.
In Florida, non-disclosure agreements that apply to former employees or contractors can generally last from six months to two years, while NDAs involving former distributors, franchisees, or licensees can generally last from one to three years.
If you need an NDA, looking at templates online isn't a bad place to start, but ideally you should work with a lawyer who can write a simple NDA for you or tweak the one you have. You may be able to find someone in your community who can do it for a few hundred bucks.
By law, a nondisclosure contract must be reasonable and necessary for protecting a legitimate business interest. It must also be limited in scope and duration, in terms of timing, geography, and other relevant factors. While not required, you should put any confidentiality agreement in writing.
In Florida, NDAs are governed by both state and federal laws. These agreements must comply with relevant statutes to be enforceable. It's important to understand the nuances of these laws to ensure that an NDA is legally sound and effective.
Explain the Context: Start by explaining why you need the NDA. Be clear about the sensitive information involved and why it's important to keep it confidential. Be Honest and Transparent: Share your reasons for needing an NDA. Emphasize that it's not about distrust but about protecting both parties' interests.
I hereby undertake to treat as confidential all and any information that I receive while participating in the work of evaluating project proposals, to use this information solely for the purpose of evaluation of the proposals, not to disclose it to any third party and not to make it publicly available or accessible ...
NDAs are enforceable when they are signed — if they are properly drafted and executed. NDAs are enforceable once signed, provided they have been drafted and executed properly. Unilateral NDAs need only the signature of the receiving party, whereas mutual non-disclosure agreements need the signatures of both parties.
Typically, a legal professional writing the NDA will complete these steps: Step 1 - Describe the scope. Which information is considered confidential? ... Step 2 - Detail party obligations. Step 3 - Note potential exclusions. Step 4 - Set the term. Step 5 - Spell out consequences.
NDAs are valuable for protecting confidential information and are widely enforceable in Florida.