Guide
Freelancer contract guide
A contract only protects you when terms are clear, locked, and enforced in the workflow — not buried in a PDF while chat rewrites scope.
Contract essentials
Every creative freelance contract should lock these terms before delivery:
- Countable deliverables and formats
- Milestone amounts and dates
- Revision rounds per milestone
- Single designated approver
- Change order process for out-of-scope work
- Payment timing tied to approval
- Governing law and dispute evidence (Vault)
Lock before work
Agreement Lock seals terms with bilateral signatures. Negotiate in Zlaip, then deliver under the same locked agreement in Accountability Chat.
Red flags to fix pre-kickoff
Renegotiate or clarify before Agreement Lock if you see:
- "Unlimited revisions" or "until satisfied"
- One lump-sum with no milestones
- Vague deliverables ("comprehensive brand")
- No change order path
FAQ
Common questions
- Do I need a lawyer?
- This guide is operational, not legal advice. Use counsel for jurisdiction-specific contracts.
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