Employment contracts protect both parties — and this form makes sure attorneys have everything they need before the first call. It captures the perspective (employer, employee, or contractor), employment classification, role details, desired contract terms, and specific concerns, so consultations are focused on legal strategy rather than information collection.
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Employment contracts sit at the intersection of business risk, personal livelihood, and complex labor law. A poorly drafted agreement — whether it misclassifies a worker, omits an IP assignment clause, or includes an unenforceable non-compete — can cost thousands in litigation or destroy a professional relationship. An intake form that captures the full scope of what's needed before the first attorney conversation saves time on both sides and results in a better-drafted document.
The employer-versus-employee framing is one of the most important questions on this form. An employer drafting an offer letter needs advice on at-will language, non-competes, and IP ownership. An employee reviewing a contract needs advice on negotiation strategy, problematic clauses, and what's standard versus unusual. A freelancer writing their own service agreement needs completely different language around deliverables, payment terms, and liability. One form that handles all three perspectives gives your practice a single intake point without requiring three separate pages.
formformform makes it easy to add this form to your employment law services page, share it with clients who call in with contract questions, or embed it in your law firm's client portal. The key terms and specific concerns fields together give attorneys a detailed brief they can use to prepare a first draft or a negotiation memo before the consultation begins.
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Review the starting questions and choices. You can change them in your own copy.
Samantha Torres
samantha@company.com
(555) 678-9012
Torres Consulting LLC
e.g. Senior Software Engineer, Marketing Director
Describe compensation, equity, benefits, non-compete, IP assignment, notice period, probation terms, or any other key elements you need addressed.
Note any clauses you're unsure about, terms you want to negotiate, or red flags you've noticed in a contract you're reviewing.
Suggested uses, and why this starting point can help. Adapt the questions to your own process.
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Are you submitting this as an employer or employee?” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Employment Type” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Ask for the context needed to understand the request before replying. This reduces the back-and-forth needed to establish the basic facts. Review “Position or Role” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Get a useful brief before the first conversation. Written context helps you assess fit, prepare questions and decide what to discuss next. Review “Contract Start Date (if known)” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Key Terms to Include” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Specific Concerns or Provisions” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Get a useful brief before the first conversation. Written context helps you assess fit, prepare questions and decide what to discuss next. Review “Are you submitting this as an employer or employee?” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Employment Type” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Click 'Use this template' to load the employment contract request form into your formformform account.
Update the intro to specify whether your firm handles drafting, review, or both, so clients arrive with the right expectations.
Adjust the employment type options to reflect the worker classifications most common in your practice area.
Set up email notifications for your employment law team or intake coordinator.
Embed the form on your employment law services page and consider adding it to your general client intake flow as an optional step.
Reference the key terms and specific concerns fields in your consultation preparation checklist.
the key terms field is more relevant for drafting; the specific concerns field is more relevant for review. Both are valuable, so keep both.
executive compensation agreements are materially more complex than standard employment contracts and may require specialist routing.
if a client selects 'independent contractor' but describes duties that sound like regular employment, flag this for a classification analysis discussion.
enforceability varies enormously by state. California bans most; others enforce them broadly. The start date field helps identify rush situations.
a start date two weeks out requires a different response than one three months away. Prioritize urgent reviews accordingly.
clients who name a specific clause or red flag are often already nervous about the contract and need prompt, reassuring communication.
Captures equity vesting schedule preferences, cliff period, and at-will language needs so the attorney can draft a seed-stage-appropriate offer letter.
Asks about bonus structures, equity grants, change-in-control provisions, and severance expectations specific to C-suite and VP-level engagements.
Collects deliverable description, payment milestone structure, and IP ownership preference so the attorney can draft a client-facing service agreement.
Asks which state the remote employee will work from, equipment policy, and expense reimbursement terms to amend an existing employment contract.
Captures the current employer's state of incorporation and the employee's state of residence alongside the specific non-compete clause for enforceability analysis.
Collects start and end dates, hourly rate, and whether the role may convert to permanent so the attorney can draft a fixed-term agreement with appropriate conversion language.
Captures the employee's home country, currency for payment, and which entity will employ them to address jurisdiction, benefits, and tax withholding considerations.
Asks for guaranteed hours per week, overtime eligibility, and benefit pro-ration method so the agreement clearly defines the part-time arrangement.
Collects grant funding source, publication rights, and IP ownership expectations specific to university and research institution employment contexts.
Asks for hours, live-in status, duties, vacation policy, and whether the household intends to process payroll taxes to draft a compliant domestic employment agreement.
Captures commission rate structure, draw against commission terms, territory definition, and clawback provisions for the attorney to document in a compensation schedule.
Asks whether the internship is paid or unpaid, academic credit requirements, and IP assignment expectations to ensure compliance with the FLSA primary beneficiary test.
You aren't legally required to use an attorney, but employment contracts involve nuanced issues — worker classification, IP ownership, non-compete enforceability, and benefit compliance — where mistakes can be expensive. An attorney ensures the document is both enforceable and fair.
The distinction affects tax withholding, benefit eligibility, and legal protections. Misclassifying an employee as a contractor exposes employers to significant penalties. An attorney can review the actual working relationship and advise on the correct classification.
Yes. Most employment contracts are negotiable, especially for professional roles. Common negotiation points include compensation, title, start date, non-compete scope, and severance terms. An attorney can identify what's standard and what to push back on.
Enforceability varies significantly by state. California, Minnesota, and North Dakota broadly prohibit them. Other states enforce them with varying standards of reasonableness in scope, geography, and duration. An employment attorney in your jurisdiction can assess your specific clause.
A standard employment agreement typically takes 2-5 business days to draft and review once an attorney has the full brief. Urgent requests — especially with a near-term start date — should be flagged in the urgency context of the submission.
Collect new client details, case type, and background before consultations.
Request a contractor agreement by providing project scope, payment terms, and key provisions.
Let potential clients inquire about your legal services before booking a consultation.
Triage document review requests with type, context, and deadline details.
Collect client details to draft a cease and desist letter targeting harmful behavior.
Collect signed waivers with assumption of risk and emergency contact.
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