Consulting Agreement template for Google Docs and Word

The first pages of the Consulting Agreement template

Every page (8)

Overview

A verbal agreement with a client leaves scope and payment open to memory, and most disputes start there. This draft sets out the work in plain, numbered clauses: the services and deliverables, the rates and expenses, confidentiality, ownership of the work and termination. It is a starting point for a lawyer to adapt, not a finished contract.

The sample is a draft between Saltmarsh Services, an independent consultancy, and Brightwell Logistics Ltd, with day rates of £650, a retainer option, an expenses table and a variance review. Every party, figure and address is fictional. Replace the parties, fees and periods with yours, and send the draft to a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction before anyone signs.

Useful for

An independent consultant sending a day-rate draft to a new client before the first project
A client's procurement team checking the termination and confidentiality clauses before signing
A finance partner reviewing the expenses and variance table against the agreed budget

What's included

Services: a short guide to defining deliverables and acceptance before work starts
Rates: three fee options and a table of rates, expenses and payment terms
Expenses: a budget, forecast and actual table, with a cause note for each variance
Confidentiality and IP: numbered duties, exceptions and ownership of the work
Termination: notice, payment on exit and the key rule on breach
Make it yours: numbered steps for replacing the parties, fees and clauses

How to use it

1
Click Make a copy in Google Docs, then confirm on the Google page. The copy is saved to your own Google Drive.
2
Replace the parties, registered addresses and effective date, and check each name against the company register.
3
Set your day rate, retainer, expenses policy and payment period on the rates page.
4
Remove the clauses for any variant you do not use, then send the draft to a qualified lawyer.
5
Delete the guide page, then have both parties sign and date the agreed version.

What you need

Requirements

A Google account with access to Google Drive

Works with

Google Docs
Microsoft Word (download the .docx)

Questions

Are the company, people and figures fictional?

Yes. Saltmarsh Services, Brightwell Logistics Ltd, the people, addresses and every fee and figure in this draft are fictional. Replace them with your own details, and do not rely on the sample wording until a lawyer has reviewed it.

Is this template legal advice?

No. It is a plain-English starting point. The rules differ by jurisdiction and by the risk each party carries, so a qualified lawyer should review it before anyone signs.

How should late payment be handled?

State the due date, the late-payment interest rate and the right to suspend work after a set period. Without those terms an overdue invoice is hard to enforce, and the client has little reason to pay on time.

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