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.
disclosure agreement (NDA) is a legally binding contract that establishes a confidential relationship between two parties: one that holds sensitive information and the other that will receive that sensitive information. The latter agrees that the information they receive won't be made available to others.
An NDA does not necessarily need to be notarized to be valid. The key elements for its validity are mutual agreement, clearly defined terms, and exchange of consideration (which can be the mutual exchange of information).
You don't need a lawyer to create the agreement, but you may need someone with legal expertise to review it.
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.
California courts may refuse to enforce non-disclosure agreements that are overly broad or vague in their terms. NDAs should have a clear description of the purpose, parties, and duration they cover.
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.