CONTRACTS
RESOURCE
The terms negotiated and agreed upon in contracts and publishing agreements have a direct impact on the safety of freelance journalists. This toolkit was created to help freelance journalists negotiate terms that will help to keep them safe.
Produced in partnership with the Frontline Freelance Register and Samir Kassir Foundation (for the Arabic version) and with the legal support of The Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, this resource contains a a template contractual agreement and two supportive documents in English and Arabic.
1. MODEL FREELANCE PUBLISHING AGREEMENT
Our Model Freelance Publishing Agreement was drawn up to help media companies and freelance journalists agree terms that protect the interests and safety of freelance journalists. Our goal is to make it easier for the parties to reach an agreement, by having a template or model agreement that is clear and fair.
2. THE GUIDE
The accompanying guide offers explanations regarding key issues addressed in the Model Freelance Publishing Agreement.
3. THE SUMMARY
This summary has been drawn up to help parties understand and negotiate the key terms of the freelance publishing agreement. Please note it should not be used as a binding legal document. A full agreement should be executed by the freelance journalist and the Company.
NOTES:
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The information made available on this site is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel. The template is intended to aid in anticipating and avoiding certain legal problems and to provide access to information that may be useful for contributors willing to spend the requisite time to put it into practice; users should consult with legal counsel as appropriate to ensure that agreements based on this template adequately protect their contractual rights as intended.
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a) The English version template has been reviewed under New York law and does not specifically address issues in non-NY jurisdictions, including those outside of the United States. The template will need to be tailored to the specific circumstances of each assignment. In certain circumstances, review of local or subject-matter counsel would be appropriate, particularly for intellectual property-related issues.
b)The information contained in the English version template may or may not reflect the most current legal developments, and ACOS Alliance does not guarantee any particular results from the use of this form. Users should also consider their applicable rights or obligations under New York’s Freelance Isn’t Free Act (Local Law 140 of 2016), and the template does not necessarily address all of the requirements of such law in all circumstances.
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a) The Arabic version template has been reviewed under UAE law and does not specifically address issues in non-UAE jurisdictions. The template will need to be tailored to the specific circumstances of each assignment. In certain circumstances, review of local or subject-matter counsel would be appropriate, particularly for intellectual property-related issues.
b) The choice of UAE law for the Arabic version template was based only on the fact that a big number of Middle East based media organizations are based in the UAE. Also, a big number of international media organizations have offices and regional HQs in the UAE. Furthermore, there are some similarities between UAE laws and other Middle East laws. But in any case, and as mentioned in this agreement, we advise revising the applicable law/jurisdiction on a case by case basis.