Publication date: 09.07.2025
My name is Sofia Kalytovska. I am a professional legal consultant from Ukraine. My key areas of law are contract and corporate law.
Initial Data:
A client — an individual entrepreneur — approached me, providing services in the field of computer programming and graphic design. His clients included both Ukrainian and foreign companies, including those from the USA, the UK, and EU countries.
At the time of the request, cooperation with clients was mostly based on oral agreements or email correspondence, which posed risks in case of disputes regarding deadlines, scope of work, acceptance, payment, or intellectual property rights.
The client aimed to create a legally sound, universal, and clear contract template that could be used for both Ukrainian and foreign clients with minimal adaptations for specific projects. The main goal was to clearly fix the key terms of cooperation and enhance legal protection in case of conflicts.
Problem:
Despite being highly professional in his field, the client:
had no experience in drafting legal contracts;
did not understand which terms needed to be fixed to minimize risks;
feared losing control over the results of his work without proper fixation of intellectual property rights;
worked with foreign partners via bank transfers or payment systems but lacked a legal mechanism to confirm services provided;
wanted protection against unlawful termination of contracts or non-payment.
Solution:
I proposed creating a universal service contract template tailored to programming and design, with adaptability for both Ukrainian and international clients.
1️⃣ Initial Consultation
We conducted an in-depth interview to identify key legal aspects:
- types of services (website development, UI/UX design, logos, animation, etc.);
- cooperation format (one-time orders, long-term projects);
- acceptance procedure for deliverables;
- payment stages (advance, installments, upon delivery);
- NDA and confidentiality requirements;
- client requirements for transfer of exclusive intellectual property rights.
We agreed that the template must be intuitive for non-lawyers, with plain wording and no excessive legalese, while complying with legal standards.
2️⃣ Drafting the Contract
Based on the gathered information, I prepared the first draft in Ukrainian covering these blocks:
- Subject: provision of programming and/or design services;
- Timeline and project schedule;
- Payment terms: fixed price or hourly rate;
- Acceptance procedure: feedback deadlines and confirmation mechanism;
- Liability: delays, confidentiality, third-party rights;
- Intellectual property: transfer of rights post-payment, portfolio use, authorship;
- Dispute resolution: pre-trial procedures, arbitration option;
- Force majeure clause;
- Other terms: duration, automatic renewal, document language.
3️⃣ Feedback and Revisions
Client requested the following refinements:
- add subcontractor option;
- allow use of generic design elements in other projects;
- clarify feedback deadlines for deliverables;
- simplify IP clause for foreign clients.
I completed two revision rounds and presented the final version.
4️⃣ Delivery of Final Document
The client received:
- bilingual contract (Ukrainian and English);
- guidance on adapting the template for individual clients;
- legal commentary on key clauses for use in negotiations;
- template for service acceptance certificate and agreement letter.
The client received:
- A functional, practical contract offering legal protection;
- A solid legal foundation to file claims in case of violations;
- Ability to reference the contract in disputes, including with payment platforms or in court;
- A communication tool that builds client trust and professionalism.
Result:
The client began using the template in daily work. The first contract under it was signed with a German client. Later, the contract was used with partners from Ukraine, Canada, and Poland.
No legal disputes have occurred since implementation. The client noted improved trust from clients after introducing the contract.
A legally sound contract is not a formality but a real protection and collaboration tool. Thanks to legal support, the client received an effective template that enhanced his image and ensured reliable partnerships. In IT and design, where oral agreements are common, this is a crucial step toward business security.
