Non Compos Mentis

I should have just gone to law school. For the past several weeks, I have been working on a legal document for a business venture I’m involved with. It is a contract, basically spelling out what each side will do and detailing the distribution of the income.

As a marketing guy, I find it difficult to have to compose a document with legal jargon. Usually, most of the copy I write are things like “Buy two—get one free!” or “Only $25!” You know, stuff where the consequences are not very dire.

Here’s a direct line from the contract I’m writing: “Affiliate will indemnify and hold Company harmless from all claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees, payable as incurred) arising from or relating to the development, operation, maintenance, and contents of your site, use of the advertising, violation of this Agreement, and/or violation of any right of another party.”

Wow. Heady stuff. I’m not used to writing a document where one wrong word could cost you your entire business. But there it is. And that’s why it’s taken me three weeks to write a six page document. But I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now to find a nice lawyer that will review the language and make sure I’m not guaranteeing our demise.

More later…