You do not need a lawyer to create and sign a non-disclosure agreement. However, if the information you are trying to protect is important enough to warrant an NDA, you may want to have the document reviewed by someone with legal expertise.
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.
The key elements of Non-Disclosure Agreements: Identification of the parties. Definition of what is deemed to be confidential. The scope of the confidentiality obligation by the receiving party. The exclusions from confidential treatment. The term of the agreement.
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 ...
Employee inclusive of his/her direct beneficiaries in business, interest and title in recognition of the transfer of Confidential and Proprietary Information to ​Company Name hereby agrees not to directly or indirectly compete with the business of Company name and its successors and assigns during the term of the ...
Five other key features must be included in your NDA to ensure it's legally binding, including a description of confidential information, obligations of the parties involved, any exclusions, the term of the agreement and consequences of a breach.
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.
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.
If both parties under the NDA were signing as sole proprietors, you have to ensure that both your full names are stated clearly. If you wanted to ensure that there would be no doubt about who the parties were, then you could add identification information such as addresses or social security numbers.
Indeed, the potential client may well get you to sign an NDA yourself, to protect any business secrets they indulge during your pitch. So by presenting them with an NDA of your own, and making a strong case for them to sign it, you're actually conveying your seriousness and raising your authority overall.