Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc... • Hacker News Board

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#11

Post by yummyfajitas » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 2:10 PM UTC

duck wrote: post #2

I like the idea, but I just don't see startups needing or using an email disclaimer. Plus they are pretty much worthless legal wise - http://www.economist.com/node/18529895 .

This isn't true. Email disclaimers can't unilaterally create a contract between the sender and receiver. This doesn't mean they are legally worthless.

Two legally useful email disclaimers: "this is not legal advice" and "this is not an offer to buy or sell securities".

These are both legally binding, because they merely remove potential ambiguity from an email and explicitly state the absence of a contract. Without the disclaimer, the text of an email might otherwise be interpreted to mean that a contract was present.

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#12

Post by kovar » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 2:27 PM UTC

x03 wrote: post #8

woodall wrote: post #6

I know you are not offering legal advice, which IMO is good, but has the language in any of these documents been looked over by a profession/practicing lawyer? Other than that, these are great; I'll be using the Privacy Policy and NDA.

We feel all the documents on PearWords are solid, concise and fair to both parties. That said, we've not had these certified by a practicing lawyer simply because even if we do most people would still rather have a lawyer they know and trust do it for them before signing a contract, especially considering the variety of territories that PearWord's audience is located. It should be a fair bit cheaper to have a lawyer…

So what is the downside to you vetting these documents via a lawyer first? Ensuring that the documents are even a little bit better will save your users collectively a lot of legal fees.

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#13

Post by x03 » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 2:34 PM UTC

kovar wrote: post #12

x03 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We feel all the documents on PearWords are solid, concise and fair to both parties. That said, we've not had these certified by a practicing lawyer simply because even if we do most people would still rather have a lawyer they know and trust do it for them before signing a contract, especially considering the variety of territories that PearWord's audience is located. It should be a fair bit cheaper to have a lawyer…

So what is the downside to you vetting these documents via a lawyer first? Ensuring that the documents are even a little bit better will save your users collectively a lot of legal fees.

We'll look into it, we really will. But we'll still have to strongly advise everyone to again have them independently verified within their own territory and by a lawyer familiar with their situation.

There's no way around that.

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#14

Post by woodall » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 2:37 PM UTC

x03 wrote: post #13

kovar wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So what is the downside to you vetting these documents via a lawyer first? Ensuring that the documents are even a little bit better will save your users collectively a lot of legal fees.

We'll look into it, we really will. But we'll still have to strongly advise everyone to again have them independently verified within their own territory and by a lawyer familiar with their situation. There's no way around that.

I think this is the best solution; as laws differ from mile to mile.

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#15

Post by x03 » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 2:37 PM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #10

x03 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We feel all the documents on PearWords are solid, concise and fair to both parties. That said, we've not had these certified by a practicing lawyer simply because even if we do most people would still rather have a lawyer they know and trust do it for them before signing a contract, especially considering the variety of territories that PearWord's audience is located. It should be a fair bit cheaper to have a lawyer…

[deleted]

We're seriously not even trying to be web2.0 (have you seen our site?), we just liked the name and pretty much everyone we've talked to agrees on that.

We appreciate your feedback though! Thanks a lot for taking the time to let us know your thoughts. :)

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#16

Post by YooLi » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 2:39 PM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #10

x03 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We feel all the documents on PearWords are solid, concise and fair to both parties. That said, we've not had these certified by a practicing lawyer simply because even if we do most people would still rather have a lawyer they know and trust do it for them before signing a contract, especially considering the variety of territories that PearWord's audience is located. It should be a fair bit cheaper to have a lawyer…

[deleted]

Out of curiosity, is there something special about "p" words that you base your suggestions on?

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#17

Post by scott_s » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 3:18 PM UTC

jamiecurle wrote: post #9

The privacy policy states PearWords does not... Place "cookies" (small text files) on your system for any reason. I would beg to differ, it may be Google Analytics dropping the cookies on pearwords' behalf, but they're still there. ( http://d.pr/D3oy )

Go ahead and use full URLs. HN will shorten its display if it's too long, and we prefer to see where we're going.

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#18

Post by blhack » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 3:56 PM UTC

This is excellent, thank you to whoever is putting it together.

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#19

Post by arnorhs » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 4:13 PM UTC

blhack wrote: post #18

This is excellent, thank you to whoever is putting it together.

I second that.

On a side note - It's very strange that there's no email address, no name of the person/persons behind this, no twitter account etc. Just the contact form.

I mean, I'd like to follow whoever did this on twitter.

Re: Collection of documents that startups commonly need: Privacy Policy, NDA, etc...

#20

Post by cschmidt » Thu, Apr 14, 2011, 4:41 PM UTC

woodall wrote: post #7

duck wrote: post #2

I like the idea, but I just don't see startups needing or using an email disclaimer. Plus they are pretty much worthless legal wise - http://www.economist.com/node/18529895 .

The comments for that article are worth a read: Zouf wrote: While you are mostly correct, there is one good legal use of an email footer: to declare the data above it as confidential, and therefore comply with confidentiality agreements that protect only data that has been explicitly declared as confidential. I found this one particularly funny: stewsnooze wrote: Practice what you preach....... This e-mail may contai…

Well, they do mention in the article that they do it themselves....

> Many firms—The Economist included—automatically append these sorts of disclaimers to every message sent from their e-mail servers, no matter how brief and trivial the message itself might be.