Posts in General Legal Principles
Are Verbal Contracts or "Handshake Agreements" Valid?

Every valid, enforceable contract has three key components: (1) An offer, (2) an acceptance of that offer, and (3) consideration, i.e., a benefit which must be bargained for between the parties. The benefit can be money, a promise to do something or a promise to refrain from doing something. When two parties discuss entering into a contract, most people picture a large stack of paper with all the specifics and details hammered out, the attorneys are in the room and the parties are there to sign that paperwork, which is the physical embodiment of their months of long, drawn out negotiations.

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Should I Use a Will or Contract Template that I Downloaded Off the Internet?

So, you want to write your own will or you’re in a bind and need a contract, should you use a template that you downloaded off the internet? Maybe, but your safest option is to proceed with caution.

While the internet has made it easier than ever before to have access to free legal templates, it has also created an outlet for increased exposure to legal liability. Besides the ease and affordability of downloading a template, the risks often outweigh the benefits. Choosing to prepare your own will or contract is certainly legal; however, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still consider the risks of dismissing professional legal assistance.

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