Stay Safe · Before You Sign
The four questions that apply to every document you are ever asked to sign, and the point at which you should stop and get professional advice.
The moment: A document is in front of you and someone is waiting
None of these is proof of bad faith on its own. Two or three together is a reason to slow down.
Plain questions, asked before you commit. A straight answer costs nothing to give.
When to speak to a lawyer
More from Before You Sign
You are about to commit to a home and a year of rent
Tenancy is governed by state law and by the agreement itself. The document decides most of what will happen, and it is signed at the moment tenants have the least leverage.
An offer letter has arrived and you want to accept
The offer letter and the contract behind it decide pay, notice, restrictions and what happens if the relationship ends. All of it is easier to negotiate before acceptance.
A partnership is forming on trust and a handshake
Partnership disputes are rarely about the beginning. They are about what nobody wrote down: contribution, control, exit and what happens to the customers.
