Advisor Agreement
Frontmatter
kind: agreement
title: Advisor Agreement
code: business__advisor_agreement
jurisdiction: US
respondent_type: person_and_entity
confidential: false
origin_url: https://github.com/General-Legal/legal-templates/tree/main/templates/advisor-agreement
prompts:
company: "What is the company’s full legal name and entity type?"
advisor: "What is the advisor’s full legal name?"
effective_date: "What date does this agreement take effect?"
business_services: "Describe the advisory work, expected availability, and service dates."
business_compensation: >-
State cash fees, expense rules, and any proposed equity grant with vesting and required approvals.
business_prior_materials: "List retained pre-existing materials and their license terms, or state none."
law: "Which state’s law governs?"
notices: "Who receives notices for each party? Include name, role, business email, and postal address."
business_forum: "Which courts have jurisdiction, subject to mandatory law?"
audiences:
company: lawyer
advisor: lawyer
effective_date: lawyer
business_services: lawyer
business_compensation: lawyer
business_prior_materials: lawyer
law: lawyer
business_forum: lawyer
notices: lawyer
questionnaire:
BEGIN:
_: entity__company
entity__company:
_: person__advisor
person__advisor:
_: custom_datetime__effective_date
custom_datetime__effective_date:
_: custom_text__business_services
custom_text__business_services:
_: custom_text__business_compensation
custom_text__business_compensation:
_: custom_text__business_prior_materials
custom_text__business_prior_materials:
_: jurisdiction__law
jurisdiction__law:
_: custom_text__business_forum
custom_text__business_forum:
_: people__notices
people__notices:
_: END
END: {}
workflow:
BEGIN:
_: lawyer_review
lawyer_review:
approved: END
changes_requested: reask__draft
reask__draft:
resubmitted: lawyer_review
END: {}
Body
Advisor Agreement
Arrow keys or Space step through the document. Click a paragraph to highlight it.
Advisor Agreement
(Company) engages (Advisor) from What date does this agreement take effect?.
Work
Advisor will provide these services and availability: Describe the advisory work, expected availability, and service dates.. Advisor acts as an independent contractor and has no authority to bind Company. Advisor will disclose conflicts and obtain necessary employer or institutional permissions before beginning. No third party’s confidential information may be used in the work.
Compensation
Company will provide the following cash compensation, approved expenses, or proposed equity: State cash fees, expense rules, and any proposed equity grant with vesting and required approvals.. Any equity grant requires board approval and signed grant documents stating the number and type of securities, exercise price, vesting schedule, service conditions, and treatment on termination. This agreement alone does not issue securities or promise a particular tax result. No other compensation is due unless agreed in writing. Advisor is responsible for taxes on compensation, subject to mandatory withholding.
Work product
Advisor assigns to Company all rights in work product created specifically in performing the services, excluding the pre-existing materials listed here: List retained pre-existing materials and their license terms, or state none.. Advisor will reasonably assist Company in documenting those rights at Company’s expense. To the extent permitted by law, Advisor waives moral rights in assigned work. Advisor grants Company a perpetual, worldwide, transferable, sublicensable, royalty-free license to use any approved prior materials incorporated into the work as needed to use that work. No third-party material may be incorporated without Company’s written approval and adequate rights.
Confidentiality
Advisor will use Company’s nonpublic information only to perform the services, protect it with reasonable care, and disclose it only to approved people bound by equivalent duties. These duties exclude information Advisor can establish was already lawfully known, became public without breach, was independently developed, or was lawfully received without restriction. Legally compelled disclosure is permitted with prior notice where lawful and reasonable help seeking protection.
Nothing restricts protected reports to government officials or a lawyer. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b), an individual is immune from federal and state trade-secret liability for a confidential disclosure to a government official or attorney solely to report or investigate a suspected legal violation, or in a complaint or other document filed under seal. An individual suing for retaliation for reporting a suspected violation may disclose the secret to counsel and use it in court if documents containing it are filed under seal and disclosure otherwise occurs only under court order.
Ending the relationship
Either party may end the engagement by written notice. Company pays earned compensation and approved expenses through termination; equity is governed by the signed grant documents. Advisor must promptly return or delete Company property and information, retaining only legally required records under continuing confidentiality. Ownership, confidentiality, earned payment rights, and applicable grant terms survive. Company may use Advisor’s name or likeness publicly only with Advisor’s written consent.
Administration
Governing law: Which state’s law governs?. Courts: Which courts have jurisdiction, subject to mandatory law?. Notice details: This agreement and signed equity documents state the entire arrangement. Amendments must be signed by both parties. Neither party may assign without the other’s consent, except Company to a successor assuming its obligations. Invalid provisions are severed to the necessary extent. Counterparts and electronic signatures are effective.
Signatures
Company: ____________________ Name and title: ____________________ Date: ____________________
Advisor: ____________________ Date: ____________________
Questionnaire
Try answering this
Sample matter: Acme LLC — nothing you type below is saved anywhere.
- 1What is the company’s full legal name and entity type?
- 2What is the advisor’s full legal name?
- 3What date does this agreement take effect?
- 4Describe the advisory work, expected availability, and service dates.
- 5State cash fees, expense rules, and any proposed equity grant with vesting and required approvals.
- 6List retained pre-existing materials and their license terms, or state none.
- 7Which state’s law governs?
- 8Which courts have jurisdiction, subject to mandatory law?
- 9Who receives notices for each party? Include name, role, business email, and postal address.
Step 1 of 9
What is the company’s full legal name and entity type?
Advisor Agreement
Arrow keys or Space step through the document. Click a paragraph to highlight it.
Advisor Agreement
(Company) engages (Advisor) from What date does this agreement take effect?.
Work
Advisor will provide these services and availability: Describe the advisory work, expected availability, and service dates.. Advisor acts as an independent contractor and has no authority to bind Company. Advisor will disclose conflicts and obtain necessary employer or institutional permissions before beginning. No third party’s confidential information may be used in the work.
Compensation
Company will provide the following cash compensation, approved expenses, or proposed equity: State cash fees, expense rules, and any proposed equity grant with vesting and required approvals.. Any equity grant requires board approval and signed grant documents stating the number and type of securities, exercise price, vesting schedule, service conditions, and treatment on termination. This agreement alone does not issue securities or promise a particular tax result. No other compensation is due unless agreed in writing. Advisor is responsible for taxes on compensation, subject to mandatory withholding.
Work product
Advisor assigns to Company all rights in work product created specifically in performing the services, excluding the pre-existing materials listed here: List retained pre-existing materials and their license terms, or state none.. Advisor will reasonably assist Company in documenting those rights at Company’s expense. To the extent permitted by law, Advisor waives moral rights in assigned work. Advisor grants Company a perpetual, worldwide, transferable, sublicensable, royalty-free license to use any approved prior materials incorporated into the work as needed to use that work. No third-party material may be incorporated without Company’s written approval and adequate rights.
Confidentiality
Advisor will use Company’s nonpublic information only to perform the services, protect it with reasonable care, and disclose it only to approved people bound by equivalent duties. These duties exclude information Advisor can establish was already lawfully known, became public without breach, was independently developed, or was lawfully received without restriction. Legally compelled disclosure is permitted with prior notice where lawful and reasonable help seeking protection.
Nothing restricts protected reports to government officials or a lawyer. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b), an individual is immune from federal and state trade-secret liability for a confidential disclosure to a government official or attorney solely to report or investigate a suspected legal violation, or in a complaint or other document filed under seal. An individual suing for retaliation for reporting a suspected violation may disclose the secret to counsel and use it in court if documents containing it are filed under seal and disclosure otherwise occurs only under court order.
Ending the relationship
Either party may end the engagement by written notice. Company pays earned compensation and approved expenses through termination; equity is governed by the signed grant documents. Advisor must promptly return or delete Company property and information, retaining only legally required records under continuing confidentiality. Ownership, confidentiality, earned payment rights, and applicable grant terms survive. Company may use Advisor’s name or likeness publicly only with Advisor’s written consent.
Administration
Governing law: Which state’s law governs?. Courts: Which courts have jurisdiction, subject to mandatory law?. Notice details: This agreement and signed equity documents state the entire arrangement. Amendments must be signed by both parties. Neither party may assign without the other’s consent, except Company to a successor assuming its obligations. Invalid provisions are severed to the necessary extent. Counterparts and electronic signatures are effective.
Signatures
Company: ____________________ Name and title: ____________________ Date: ____________________
Advisor: ____________________ Date: ____________________
Workflow
Definition graph — generated directly from this notation's workflow.