Loading ...Dear Gritty VA:
I have a new client who wants me to sign a non-compete agreement. Do you know where I can find one that will work? –SC
HALT!!! Sweetie, don’t do another thing until you read this post!
You NEVER, ever want to sign a non-compete agreement. You are a business owner and you are in business to work with more than one client. Signing a non-compete agreement, especially those poorly written generic ones you can buy at the local office supply store, could effectively and potentially put you out of business.
You ALWAYS want to consult with an attorney in legal matters like this before you ever sign anything like that (which I personally would recommend you never do; it has no place between two independent business operators), and especially in cases where you don’t realize the legal ramifications and rights you may be signing away.
Now, your client may be talking about some kind of confidentiality/non-disclosure agreement (just using the wrong terminology), something to protect his or her proprietary business information and intellectual property that you may have access and become privy to while working together.
However, it is not your role to provide legal documents of that nature to clients. That is something every business owner must do themselves, consulting with their own attorneys. When they want to protect something in their business, they provide the documents to you. And vice versa.
This is an area of business law you need to bone up on if you are going to be a smart, responsible, knowledgeable business owner. And it’s an example of an area you may often need to educate clients in as well (when they ask you to do things that just aren’t your responsibility to do).
Hope that helps 
