Before you sign an NDA, make sure to look for these seven clauses.
updated November 29, 2023 · 4min read
The purpose of a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) is to allow two parties to conduct business while ensuring that any information exchanged is kept private.
Before you sign an NDA, keep the following seven points in mind.
The nondisclosure agreement should identify the parties to the agreement and which one is the disclosing party, or side sharing the information, and the recipient. Names and addresses of the parties should be included.
The agreement should also identify other individuals who may be parties to the agreement. For example, if an investor is the recipient, they might need to show the information to their attorney, accountant, or business partners. The nondisclosure agreement will also bound these additional parties.
Before you sign a nondisclosure agreement, be sure the agreement is very clear about what information is protected and what is not.
This is called the scope of the agreement. Nondisclosure agreements commonly cover matters such as customer lists, business plans, personnel information, financial statements, information about inventions, and trade secrets. The disclosing business usually wants the scope to be as broad as possible, while a narrower scope is more advantageous for the recipient.
The agreement should also explain how the recipient can use the information, such as only for evaluating the disclosing party's business for purchase.
The agreement should clearly define the exclusions to the agreement, or the types of information that do not need to be kept confidential, such as information an employee knew before they started working at a company or information a potential investor was aware of before they looked at a business plan.
Exclusions to the agreement also include material that is public knowledge and information the recipient had already developed on their own or previously disclosed to them.
The document should indicate how long the agreement is binding, which can often be several years, even if the end date is after the business between the parties has concluded.
For example, if Tim's Department Store is considering buying Norma's Village Boutique, the parties will execute an NDA so Tim can see Norma's business details. Even if he decides not to buy the business, he must still keep the shared information confidential for the agreement's length.
Once the business between the parties has concluded, or an employee has left a job, the agreement requires that confidential information be returned to the disclosing party or destroyed or deleted. The recipient usually needs to confirm they have done this.
For example, Myra's Handmade Booties shares its business statements with Mateo's Angel Investors, who are considering investing. Once Mateo either concludes the deal or decides not to invest, any documents he received must be returned, and any electronic data must be destroyed. (It's worth noting that, although most electronic data is never completely deleted, it should be deleted from daily accessibility.)
A nondisclosure agreement usually states that the recipient agrees not to disclose or use the shared information, whether purposely or inadvertently.
For example, as the potential investor in a video game, you are given access to the software to test drive it. If you play the game on the subway, where other people can see it, you've breached the agreement.
A cellphone company employee testing a prototype model and mistakenly leaves it in a coffee shop would likely also be found to have breached the agreement.
The NDA should state the course of action the disclosing party can take if the agreement is breached. This could include:
There are additional clauses to look for in a nondisclosure agreement, including:
Although every NDA is different and so may include clauses not mentioned above, these are seven of the most common sections to look for. To create your own document, you can have an attorney draft one or use an online NDA template.
by Brette Sember, J.D.
Brette Sember, J.D., practiced law in New York, including divorce, mediation, family law, adoption, probate and estat...
Writing a will is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and for your loved ones, and it can be done in just minutes. Are you ready to get started?
November 21, 2023 · 4min read
Considering an LLC for your business? The application process isn't complicated, but to apply for an LLC, you'll have to do some homework first.
November 21, 2023 · 11min read
Setting up a power of attorney to make your decisions when you can't is a smart thing to do because you never know when you'll need help from someone you trust.
November 28, 2023 · 14min read