Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about ContractRiskCheck — from how it works to contract-specific guidance for NDAs, contractor agreements, and service agreements.
General Questions
How ContractRiskCheck works, what's included, and who it's for.
What is ContractRiskCheck?
ContractRiskCheck is a practical contract review workflow for founders and small business owners. It helps you spot commercial and legal risk using plain-English explanations, red-flag checks, and negotiation prompts.
Is ContractRiskCheck a law firm or legal advice?
No. ContractRiskCheck provides educational information and tools, not legal advice. Using the service does not create a lawyer-client relationship. If you need advice about a specific contract, speak with a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction.
Who is ContractRiskCheck for?
It is built for founders, startups, consultants, agencies, and small business teams that need to understand common contract risks before they sign.
What contracts do you cover?
The current content focuses on common small-business agreements, including NDAs, contractor agreements, service agreements, leases, franchise agreements, and other commercial contracts.
How long does a review take?
Most users can work through the core review in minutes. More detailed contracts can take longer, especially where payment, liability, data, IP, or termination terms need closer attention.
When should I still hire a lawyer?
Consider legal review for high-value contracts, uncapped liability, broad indemnities, core IP issues, sensitive data, long-term lock-in, personal guarantees, or any clause you do not understand.
Why not just use ChatGPT to review a contract?
General AI tools can explain clauses, but ContractRiskCheck gives users a repeatable review process, structured risk triage, and practical negotiation scripts designed for small-business contracts.
NDA Questions
Non-Disclosure Agreements — confidentiality, duration, and common traps.
What are the biggest NDA red flags?
Common NDA red flags include overly broad confidential information definitions, missing exclusions, hidden IP terms, non-compete language, residuals clauses, and extreme remedies or venue provisions.
Should an NDA be mutual or one-way?
If both parties are sharing sensitive information, a mutual NDA is usually appropriate. If only one party is disclosing information, a one-way NDA may be enough if the obligations are clear and fair.
How long should an NDA last?
Many business NDAs use a two-to-five-year term for ordinary confidential information. Trade secrets may need protection for as long as they remain trade secrets.
Ready to review an NDA?
Go straight to the NDA review page
Contractor Agreement Questions
Hiring contractors and freelancers — scope, IP, and payment protection.
What are the biggest contractor agreement red flags?
Watch for vague scope, weak acceptance criteria, unclear payment terms, overbroad IP assignments, restrictive non-competes, uncapped liability, and one-sided termination rights.
Who owns the work product in a contractor agreement?
Ownership depends on the contract wording. A balanced agreement should distinguish paid deliverables from pre-existing tools, templates, code, know-how, and background IP.
What helps prevent scope creep?
Use clear deliverables, exclusions, milestones, acceptance criteria, and a written change order process for new work or materially changed requirements.
Ready to review a contractor agreement?
Go straight to the contractor agreement review page
Service Agreement Questions
Vendor and provider contracts — renewals, data, and risk allocation.
What are the biggest service agreement red flags?
Common red flags include hidden auto-renewals, unilateral price changes, vague service levels, weak data terms, unclear IP ownership, broad indemnities, and uncapped liability.
What should I check in auto-renew clauses?
Check the notice deadline, renewal term, pricing changes, cancellation method, and whether termination triggers payment for the full renewed period.
What if a vendor wants access to customer data?
The contract should limit access to what is necessary, explain security obligations, cover subcontractors, and say what happens to data when the relationship ends.
Ready to review a service agreement?
Go straight to the service agreement review page
US–Canada Cross-Border Questions
Working across borders — jurisdiction, currency, and privacy differences.
Does ContractRiskCheck work for U.S. and Canadian contracts?
The materials include prompts for common U.S.-Canada friction points, including governing law, venue, currency, privacy, taxes, and enforcement practicality.
What cross-border issues should I check?
Pay attention to governing law and venue, currency and payment mechanics, data location, privacy obligations, tax or withholding issues, and whether the contract assumes rules from another jurisdiction.
Practical "How-To" Questions
Getting the most from ContractRiskCheck — tips, resources, and support.
What is the fastest way to use ContractRiskCheck?
- Confirm the business deal.
- Scan for the highest-risk clauses.
- Use scripts for the top negotiation points.
- Escalate to a lawyer if the risk is high or unclear.
Do you offer a free resource?
Yes. Users can start with the free ContractRiskCheck tool and then move to a focused contract pack when they need more structure.
How do I contact you?
Use the Contact page to reach the ContractRiskCheck team with questions about the service, content, or next steps.
Quick links
External resources
Credible sources for business practices, privacy, and compliance.
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
- Government of Canada – Business
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- California Dept. of Justice – CCPA/CPRA
Informational resources, not substitutes for legal advice.
Ready to review your contract?
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