Nondisclosure Agreements

Use a non-disclosure contract to protect important company information

Nondisclosure agreement forms provide legally binding protection against the misuse and/or misrepresentation of your company's proprietary information. By requiring your employees as well as potential business partners and affiliates to sign non-disclosure contract forms, you are taking valuable precautions to protect your company's closely guarded data, and safeguarding your image as well.

An airtight nondisclosure contract will not only ensure the proper use of shared information, it will also guarantee that those you entrust to represent your company do so in a manner consistent with your overall corporate goals. Before you create and distribute a non-disclosure agreement, make sure you:

1. Research your state's laws concerning nondisclosure agreements; laws from state to state may vary, so make sure you stay within the law.

2. Sample forms to see examples of a non-disclosure clause you can use.

3. Purchase nondisclosure templates that you can personalize for your business.

 

Research the different types of nondisclosure contract agreements

There are many ways to phrase non-disclosure contract forms and also many different types of clauses that you may not have considered. Do your research and review sample non-disclosure forms before drafting your own. You should also have a trusted attorney or business associate review your nondisclosure agreement to ensure that you've included everything of importance.
Try: Bitlaw.com outlines the elements that are essential for a nondisclosure agreement. You can also review sample nondisclosure forms at Findlaw.com and the SCORE website.

Find nondisclosure contract forms online

There are several services that can help you create you own nondisclosure agreements for a fraction of what it costs to hire an attorney. However, make sure you use a service that will also let you talk with an attorney if you have any questions about the forms you are creating.
Try: Services that will create non-disclosure agreement forms for you online include Legal Zoom, Business-integrity.com and FindLegalForms.com. These forms are created by attorneys beforehand and you can personalize them to fit your business.

Consult with an attorney to create a non-disclosure contract

If you have complex data and information that makes your wary about developing non-disclosure contract forms yourself, there are many attorneys that can assist you in the process. Hire a commercial attorney who specializes in contracts to ensure that you create the best nondisclosure agreements possible.
Try: Contact the Bar Association in your state to find a lawyer that specializes in contracts. An attorney who is a member of the Commercial Law League of America will be able to walk you through your nondisclosure agreement.

 

• Consider adding a non-disclosure clause into the employee handbook. This ensures that the information is easily accessible.
• You can distribute non-disclosure agreement forms to potential investors or prospective customers to ensure that they understand how they are to use the information they receive.

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