What’s the Average Cost of Hiring a Lawyer to Draft a Contract?
Contract drafting costs range between $200 and $800 for a simple contract and $1,000 and $2,500 for a complex contract. Contract attorneys can offer hourly or flat fee contract drafting services. The cost of drafting a contract depends upon the scope and depth of your objectives and complexity of terms and business relationship.
Below in this article, we've included a list of 200+ contract types with their average hiring amounts from the ContractsCounsel platform. These cost points should give you a sense of how much lawyers charge to draft contracts on our platform.
Here is an article about hiring a contract lawyer.
Simple Drafting
Simple contract drafting costs can range between $200 and $800 as a flat fee depending upon your needs. An online contract lawyer could also bill their services at an hourly rate between $100 and $350 an hour.
Click here to explore some hourly rates in our marketplace.
Complex or Bespoke Drafting
Complex or bespoke drafting is more expensive than simple contract drafting and ranges between $800 and $2,500 as a flat fee. Some online lawyers may charge an hourly rate between $150 and $500 an hour for more extensive services, such as contract negotiation and revisions.
How Do Lawyers Charge for Drafting?
Lawyers charge hourly fees, flat fees, or a combination of both for contract drafting services. Consider the differences between hourly vs. flat fee structures when hiring lawyers online.
Lawyer Hourly Fees
Lawyer hourly fees are billed by the hour and typically in 10- or 15-minute intervals. This billing method is less predictable and potentially more expensive since any number of issues can arise when you write and negotiate a contract. These issues can significantly increase your costs when compared to flat-fee contract drafting.
Flat-Fee Contract Drafting
Flat-fee contract drafting is a more predictable rate than compared to hourly lawyer fees. You agree to pay your attorney a flat rate. Your attorney agrees to perform agreed-upon services for that rate regardless of the time committed to complete it.
Here is an article about hiring a contract attorney on retainer.
Flat-Fee and Hourly Billing
In many circumstances, lawyers will agree to perform contract drafting on a flat fee basis. A normal engagement will include the below items:
- Initial consultation
- First draft of the document
- Call to discuss document
- One or two rounds of revisions
Sometimes flat-fee engagements can roll into hourly fees if you exceed what the lawyer has agreed to provide. It is critical there is a clear expectation of what is included in the flat fee before you start work, so that you don’t risk rolling into an hourly rate billing model.
Pro tip : Make sure you objectively outline what the lawyer will include in their flat fee and you make sure you are conscious of the number of rounds of revisions you receive.
ContractsCounsel’s Legal Fee Marketplace Data
Below is a list of 219 common legal drafting projects performed on the ContractsCounsel platform. When looking at this data, it is important to keep in mind each project is unique and may have a certain set of terms that require more work and fees. In general, the more custom terms you want to include in your contract, the higher the price will be.
The below cost data is an average of all projects across all US states completed on a flat fee basis.
- Acceptable Use Policy. The average cost to draft an acceptable use policy is $516.
- Accounting Services Agreement. The average cost to draft an accounting services agreement is $435.
- Addendum to Lease. The average cost to draft an addendum to lease is $436.
- Advertising Agreement. The average cost to draft an advertising agreement is $683.
- Advisory Agreement. The average cost to draft an advisory agreement is $748.
- Affidavit of Ownership. The average cost to draft an affidavit of ownership is $395.
- Affiliate Agreement. The average cost to draft an affiliate agreement is $619.
- Affiliate Program Agreement. The average cost to draft an affiliate program agreement is $796.
- Angel Investor Agreement. The average cost to draft an angel investor agreement is $1,375.
- Apartment Rental Agreement. The average cost to draft an apartment rental agreement is $545.
- Art Consignment Agreement. The average cost to draft an art consignment agreement is $300.
- Artist Management Agreement. The average cost to draft an artist management agreement is $775.
- Asset Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft an asset purchase agreement is $1,276.
- Assignment of Partnership Interest. The average cost to draft an assignment of partnership interest is $545.
- Bill of Sale. The average cost to draft a bill of sale is $662.
- Brand Licensing Agreement. The average cost to draft a brand licensing agreement is $927.
- Broker Carrier Agreement. The average cost to draft a broker carrier agreement is $912.
- Building Lease. The average cost to draft a building lease is $565.
- Business Associate Agreement. The average cost to draft a business associate agreement is $706.
- Business Contract. The average cost to draft a business contract is $765.
- Business License Application. The average cost to draft a business license application is $350.
- Business Partnership Agreement. The average cost to draft a business partnership agreement is $1,042.
- Business Plan. The average cost to draft a business plan is $410.
- Business Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft a business purchase agreement is $940.
- Buy Sell Agreement. The average cost to draft a buy sell agreement is $666.
- Buyout Agreement. The average cost to draft a buyout agreement is $841.
- Cease and Desist Letter. The average cost to draft a cease and desist letter is $441.
- Channel Partner Agreement. The average cost to draft a channel partner agreement is $1,433.
- Child Custody Agreement. The average cost to draft a child custody agreement is $428.
- Cloud Services Agreement. The average cost to draft a cloud services agreement is $777.
- Coaching Agreement. The average cost to draft a coaching agreement is $475.
- Codicil. The average cost to draft a codicil is $624.
- Cofounder Agreement. The average cost to draft a cofounder agreement is $865.
- Cohabitation Agreement. The average cost to draft a cohabitation agreement is $499.
- Commercial Lease. The average cost to draft a commercial lease is $825.
- Commercial Lease Agreement. The average cost to draft a commercial lease agreement is $672.
- Commercial Loan. The average cost to draft a commercial loan is $1,033.
- Commission Agreement. The average cost to draft a commission agreement is $599.
- Common Stock Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft a common stock purchase agreement is $859.
- Compensation Agreement. The average cost to draft a compensation agreement is $662.
- Confidential Information Release Agreement. The average cost to draft a confidential information release agreement is $848.
- Confidential Settlement Agreement. The average cost to draft a confidential settlement agreement is $950.
- Confidentiality Agreement. The average cost to draft a confidentiality agreement is $363.
- Construction Agreement. The average cost to draft a construction agreement is $1,067.
- Construction Services Agreement. The average cost to draft a construction services agreement is $612.
- Consulting Agreement. The average cost to draft a consulting agreement is $786.
- Consulting Services Contract. The average cost to draft a consulting services contract is $496.
- Content Creator Agreement. The average cost to draft a content creator agreement is $609.
- Content License Agreement. The average cost to draft a content license agreement is $764.
- Contract Manufacturing Agreement. The average cost to draft a contract manufacturing agreement is $1,029.
- Contractor Agreement. The average cost to draft a contractor agreement is $909.
- Convertible Note. The average cost to draft a convertible note is $990.
- Cookies Policy. The average cost to draft a cookies policy is $1,325.
- Co-ownership Agreement. The average cost to draft a co-ownership agreement is $652.
- Copyright License Agreement. The average cost to draft a copyright license agreement is $660.
- Copyright Transfer Agreement. The average cost to draft a copyright transfer agreement is $600.
- Corporate Bylaws. The average cost to draft corporate bylaws is $849.
- Customer Contract. The average cost to draft a customer contract is $734.
- Data Processing Agreement. The average cost to draft a data processing agreement is $898.
- Debt Settlement Agreement. The average cost to draft a debt settlement agreement is $438.
- Deed of Trust. The average cost to draft a deed of trust is $549.
- Demand Letter. The average cost to draft a demand letter is $368.
- Dental Associate Contract. The average cost to draft a dental associate contract is $431.
- Design-Build Contract. The average cost to draft a design-build contract is $477.
- Developer Agreement. The average cost to draft a developer agreement is $616.
- Development Services Agreement. The average cost to draft a development services agreement is $1,125.
- Distribution Agreement. The average cost to draft a distribution agreement is $926.
- Divorce Settlement. The average cost to draft a divorce settlement is $1,017.
- Egg/Embryo Donation Contract. The average cost to draft an egg/embryo donation contract is $650.
- Employee IP Agreement. The average cost to draft an employee IP agreement is $337.
- Employee Non-Disclosure Agreement. The average cost to draft an employee non-disclosure agreement is $362.
- Employee Separation Agreement. The average cost to draft an employee separation agreement is $1,091.
- Employee Stock Options Agreement. The average cost to draft an employee stock options agreement is $641.
- Employment Contract. The average cost to draft an employment contract is $748.
- Employment Handbook. The average cost to draft an employment handbook is $709.
- Employment Offer. The average cost to draft an employment offer is $1,206.
- End User License Agreement. The average cost to draft an end user license agreement is $1,216.
- Equipment Lease. The average cost to draft an equipment lease is $863.
- Equity Compensation Agreement. The average cost to draft an equity compensation agreement is $713.
- Estate Planning Package for Couple. The average cost to draft an estate planning package for a couple is $1,000.
- Event Services Agreement. The average cost to draft an event services agreement is $782.
- Event Space Rental Agreement. The average cost to draft an event space rental agreement is $682.
- Exclusive Distribution Agreement. The average cost to draft an exclusive distribution agreement is $1,253.
- Exclusivity Agreement. The average cost to draft an exclusivity agreement is $688.
- Executive Employment Contract. The average cost to draft an executive employment contract is $1,083.
- Finance Lease. The average cost to draft a finance lease is $1,350.
- Founders Agreement. The average cost to draft a founders agreement is $985.
- Franchise Agreement. The average cost to draft a franchise agreement is $1,425.
- Freelance Contract. The average cost to draft a freelance contract is $569.
- GDPR Compliance. The average cost to draft a GDPR compliance document is $1,025.
- General Contractor Contract. The average cost to draft a general contractor contract is $750.
- Gross Lease. The average cost to draft a gross lease is $775.
- Ground Lease. The average cost to draft a ground lease is $958.
- Hold Harmless Agreement. The average cost to draft a hold harmless agreement is $668.
- Immigration Compliance. The average cost to draft an immigration compliance document is $4,750.
- Indemnity Agreement. The average cost to draft an indemnity agreement is $420.
- Independent Contractor Agreement. The average cost to draft an independent contractor agreement is $600.
- Intellectual Property License Agreement. The average cost to draft an intellectual property license agreement is $669.
- Intellectual Property Transfer Agreement. The average cost to draft an intellectual property transfer agreement is $622.
- Investment Contract. The average cost to draft an investment contract is $869.
- Investment Management Agreement. The average cost to draft an investment management agreement is $733.
- Investment Subscription Agreement. The average cost to draft an investment subscription agreement is $700.
- Investor Disclosure Documents. The average cost to draft investor disclosure documents is $105.
- IP Assignment Agreement. The average cost to draft an IP assignment agreement is $354.
- Joint Operating Agreement. The average cost to draft a joint operating agreement is $747.
- Joint Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft a joint purchase agreement is $625.
- Joint Venture Agreement. The average cost to draft a joint venture agreement is $872.
- Land Contract. The average cost to draft a land contract is $559.
- Land Lease Agreement. The average cost to draft a land lease agreement is $739.
- Land Use Restriction Agreement. The average cost to draft a land use restriction agreement is $825.
- Last Will and Testament. The average cost to draft a last will and testament is $925.
- Lease Agreement. The average cost to draft a lease agreement is $582.
- Lease Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft a lease purchase agreement is $611.
- Lease To Own Agreement. The average cost to draft a lease to own agreement is $734.
- Legal Opinion. The average cost to draft a legal opinion is $250.
- Legal Services Agreement. The average cost to draft a legal services agreement is $623.
- Letter of Intent. The average cost to draft a letter of intent is $742.
- Liability Waiver. The average cost to draft a liability waiver is $634.
- Licensing Agreement. The average cost to draft a licensing agreement is $1,058.
- Lien. The average cost to draft a lien is $316.
- Living Trust. The average cost to draft a living trust is $648.
- LLC Operating Agreement. The average cost to draft an LLC operating agreement is $731.
- Loan Agreement. The average cost to draft a loan agreement is $742.
- Maintenance Services Agreement. The average cost to draft a maintenance services agreement is $495.
- Manufacturing Agreement. The average cost to draft a manufacturing agreement is $718.
- Marketing Agreement. The average cost to draft a marketing agreement is $624.
- Master Promissory Note. The average cost to draft a master promissory note is $366.
- Master Services Agreement. The average cost to draft a master services agreement is $779.
- Membership Agreement. The average cost to draft a membership agreement is $641.
- Memorandum of Understanding. The average cost to draft a memorandum of understanding is $459.
- Mortgage Note. The average cost to draft a mortgage note is $1,025.
- Multi Member LLC Operating Agreement. The average cost to draft a multi-member LLC operating agreement is $567.
- Non-Compete Agreement. The average cost to draft a non-compete agreement is $595.
- Non-Disclosure Agreement. The average cost to draft a non-disclosure agreement is $434.
- Non-Solicitation Agreement. The average cost to draft a non-solicitation agreement is $312.
- Note Payable. The average cost to draft a note payable is $507.
- Note Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft a note purchase agreement is $623.
- Offering Memorandum. The average cost to draft an offering memorandum is $498.
- OnlyFans Management Contract. The average cost to draft an OnlyFans management contract is $420.
- Operating Agreement. The average cost to draft an operating agreement is $740.
- Operational Level Agreement. The average cost to draft an operational level agreement is $518.
- Options Contract. The average cost to draft an options contract is $393.
- Partnership Agreement. The average cost to draft a partnership agreement is $835.
- Phantom Stock Agreement. The average cost to draft a phantom stock agreement is $957.
- Photography Service Agreement. The average cost to draft a photography service agreement is $325.
- Physician Employment Agreement. The average cost to draft a physician employment agreement is $593.
- Postnuptial Agreement. The average cost to draft a postnuptial agreement is $965.
- Power of Attorney. The average cost to draft a power of attorney is $393.
- Prenuptial Agreement. The average cost to draft a prenuptial agreement is $882.
- Privacy Policy. The average cost to draft a privacy policy is $977.
- Private Label Agreement. The average cost to draft a private label agreement is $1,019.
- Private Placement Memorandum. The average cost to draft a private placement memorandum is $2,206.
- Production Services Agreement. The average cost to draft a production services agreement is $525.
- Professional Services Agreement. The average cost to draft a professional services agreement is $750.
- Profit Share Agreement. The average cost to draft a profit share agreement is $656.
- Project Collaboration Agreement. The average cost to draft a project collaboration agreement is $665.
- Promissory Note Agreement. The average cost to draft a promissory note agreement is $701.
- Property Deed. The average cost to draft a property deed is $551.
- Property Management Agreement. The average cost to draft a property management agreement is $747.
- Property Sale Agreement. The average cost to draft a property sale agreement is $800.
- Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft a purchase agreement is $751.
- Purchase And Sale Agreement. The average cost to draft a purchase and sale agreement is $556.
- Purchase Contract. The average cost to draft a purchase contract is $928.
- Quitclaim Deed. The average cost to draft a quitclaim deed is $656.
- Real Estate Investment Agreement. The average cost to draft a real estate investment agreement is $853.
- Real Estate License Agreement. The average cost to draft a real estate license agreement is $250.
- Real Estate Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft a real estate purchase agreement is $888.
- Real Estate Sale Agreement. The average cost to draft a real estate sale agreement is $688.
- Recruiting Services Agreement. The average cost to draft a recruiting services agreement is $800.
- Referral Partner Agreement. The average cost to draft a referral partner agreement is $1,411.
- Release Form. The average cost to draft a release form is $258.
- Release of Liability. The average cost to draft a release of liability is $413.
- Release of Lien. The average cost to draft a release of lien is $325.
- Rental Agreement. The average cost to draft a rental agreement is $635.
- Rental Lease Agreement. The average cost to draft a rental lease agreement is $573.
- Repayment Agreement. The average cost to draft a repayment agreement is $690.
- Residential Lease. The average cost to draft a residential lease is $490.
- Residential Real Estate Lease Agreement. The average cost to draft a residential real estate lease agreement is $612.
- Residential Service Contract. The average cost to draft a residential service contract is $950.
- Retainer Agreement. The average cost to draft a retainer agreement is $573.
- Revenue Sharing Agreement. The average cost to draft a revenue sharing agreement is $728.
- Roofing Contract. The average cost to draft a roofing contract is $573.
- SaaS Agreement. The average cost to draft a SaaS agreement is $1,195.
- SaaS Reseller Agreement. The average cost to draft a SaaS reseller agreement is $1,000.
- SAFE Note. The average cost to draft a SAFE note is $545.
- Sales Agreement. The average cost to draft a sales agreement is $697.
- Sales Commission Agreement. The average cost to draft a sales commission agreement is $574.
- Separation Agreement. The average cost to draft a separation agreement is $1,109.
- Service Agreement. The average cost to draft a service agreement is $802.
- Settlement Agreement. The average cost to draft a settlement agreement is $382.
- Severance Agreement. The average cost to draft a severance agreement is $722.
- Share Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft a share purchase agreement is $1,175.
- Shareholder Agreement. The average cost to draft a shareholder agreement is $1,009.
- Single Member LLC Formation. The average cost to draft a single-member LLC formation is $775.
- Single Member LLC Operating Agreement. The average cost to draft a single-member LLC operating agreement is $400.
- Software Agreement. The average cost to draft a software agreement is $740.
- Software Development Agreement. The average cost to draft a software development agreement is $828.
- Software Licensing Agreement. The average cost to draft a software licensing agreement is $1,544.
- Software Subscription Agreement. The average cost to draft a software subscription agreement is $1,558.
- Statement of Work. The average cost to draft a statement of work is $564.
- Stock Option Agreement. The average cost to draft a stock option agreement is $775.
- Stock Purchase Agreement. The average cost to draft a stock purchase agreement is $1,090.
- Subcontractor Agreement. The average cost to draft a subcontractor agreement is $1,284.
- Sublease. The average cost to draft a sublease is $463.
- Subscription Agreement. The average cost to draft a subscription agreement is $1,466.
- Term Sheet. The average cost to draft a term sheet is $645.
- Terms and Conditions. The average cost to draft terms and conditions is $891.
- Terms of Service. The average cost to draft terms of service is $953.
- Terms of Service & Privacy Policy. The average cost to draft terms of service & privacy policy is $1,204.
- Trademark Application. The average cost to draft a trademark application is $1,450.
- Triple Net Lease. The average cost to draft a triple net lease is $575.
- Trust. The average cost to draft a trust is $983.
- User Agreement. The average cost to draft a user agreement is $1,150.
- Vehicle Lease Agreement. The average cost to draft a vehicle lease agreement is $738.
- Vendor Agreement. The average cost to draft a vendor agreement is $575.
- Waiver. The average cost to draft a waiver is $452.
- Warranty Deed. The average cost to draft a warranty deed is $500.
- Website Design Agreement. The average cost to draft a website design agreement is $498.
- Wholesaler Agreement. The average cost to draft a wholesaler agreement is $656.
Note, these price points are based on data from our marketplace. Each project has many variables that can change the price of the project.
What’s Typically Included in Fees?
Attorneys’ fees for contract drafting typically include the following steps:
- Initial consultation meetings
- Attorney-client privilege protections and engagement letter
- Initial client intake meeting
- Questionnaire for key terms
- Contract drafting
- Review of contract with client
- Client revisions
- Re-delivery of finalized contract
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What Information Will You Need Ready?
It is essential to have good information on hand when drafting your contract. Not only will the organization save you time and money, but it also ensures that your agreement meets your needs.
Popular Drafting Assignments
ContractsCounsel’s most popular drafting assignments range from service contracts to end user license agreements. The most commonly drafted contracts for businesses include:
Service Contracts
Service contracts specify the terms around your services. It’s helpful to provide the following information when drafting service contracts:
- Contact information of all parties
- List of services offered
- Estimates, invoices, and letters sent to your customer
- Copies of any required licenses and certifications
- Copies of any customer meeting notes you jotted down
- Your standard payment terms and fee structure
Sales Contracts
Sales contracts are used in the commission of an asset or property. Bring the following information with you to your initial consultation:
- Invoices and estimates issued to your customer
- Contact information of all parties
- The logistics of delivering your assets
- Description of the goods or products being purchased
- Meeting notes between you and the buyer
- Your preferred payment plan
Employment Contracts
Employment contracts are essential for hiring full-time employees. You should supply the following information to your attorney:
- Emails and letters to the employee
- Copy of the job posting and description of the role
- Contact information of all parties
- Information contained in the hiring file
- Information about wages and benefits you provide
Independent Contractor Agreements
Independent contractor agreements are essential when hiring temporary workers. Ensure you bring the following to your initial intake meeting:
- Contact information of all parties
- Proposals received by the contractor
- Any existing contracts in place
- Communications between you and the contractor
- Copies of project postings
- Wages and fee structure
- Role being performed by the contractor
Consulting Agreements
Consulting agreements are vital when providing consulting services. Provide your attorney with the following information for better results:
- Contact info for each party member
- Communications exchanged between you and your client
- Estimates, proposals, and invoices issued
- Your business and meeting notes
- A description of how you want your agreement structured
- How you want payment and fees structured
Operating Agreements
Operating agreements are necessary filings for LLCs. Your attorney can draft one based on the following information:
- Company formation date
- Description of business purpose
- Principal place of business address
- Name and address of the registered agent
- Company name
- Number of members
Partnership Agreements
Partnership agreements set the terms between business partners and how they share assets and liabilities. Your attorney will find the following information helpful.
- Names and contact information of each party
- A copy of your business registration with the state
- Copies of relevant licenses and certifications
- Statements from partners on what they want out of the agreement
- Copies of communications surrounding the partnership or business
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Privacy Policies
Privacy policies are essential when you collect and store consumer data online. The following materials will aid your attorney in drafting a proper contract:
- Types of information you collect
- An explanation of why you collect it
- A description of your customer data retention procedures
- A description of how your customers can control their data
- A list of third parties with whom you share the information
Promissory Notes
Promissory notes are helpful when you are lending money to a person or business. The following info will help your lawyer:
- Communications between you and the other party
- Files and documents surrounding the transaction
- Copies of meeting and business notes recorded
- A description of the terms and conditions surrounding repayment
- A description of the terms and conditions surrounding interest
SaaS Agreements
SaaS Agreements are critical for software companies. Your attorney will draft an agreement from the following items:
- A use limitation description
- Number of users allowed
- Name and contact info of parties
- Rules surrounding your product use
- A shortlist of contract objectives
- What service your product provides
- Any customer information collected
What Is Normal Turnaround?
The normal turnaround time to write a contract depends upon the extent of the agreement in question as well as how many custom terms will be included by the lawyer. Simple agreements can take a matter of days. Complex/bespoke contracts could take weeks or months due to the need to negotiate terms and conditions for large projects.
The average turnaround time seen on the ContractsCounsel platform is roughly 5 business days.
Pros and Cons of Flat Fee Drafting
The pros and cons of flat fee drafting to draw up a legal document are another element to consider. While flat-fee drafting has many significant advantages, it also carries its fair share of drawbacks.
Pros of flat-fee contract drafting include:
- Pro 1. Often more predictable pricing
- Pro 2. Sometimes more affordable
- Pro 3. Prevents additional charges
Cons of flat-fee contract drafting include:
- Con 1. Lawyers can rush to finish
- Con 2. Fees are based on average costs
- Con 3. More expensive sometimes
Using Contract Templates to Start
Many business owners erroneously believe that starting with a contract template will save them money during the attorney legal drafting process. However, this strategy may actually tack on time and attorneys’ fees by approaching it from this manner.
If you start with a template that is not known to the lawyer, a lawyer will need to review the template and edit it to fit your use case. So, you’re paying for both the review of the template and drafting and tweaking. It can be more cost effective to have the lawyer draft a contract from scratch and use their own template.
Keep in mind that a contract is only as good as the language contained within it, and the drafting costs can add up on a template. Attorneys stake their profession on the line when it comes to contracts so much that they hold malpractice insurance policies to cover your losses in case something goes wrong.
If you have boilerplate business needs, you can have an attorney draft a bespoke contract that you can use for more routine transactions, such as employment and service contracts. This strategy allows you to save money on legal costs while achieving the goal of a scalable, repeatable process. Plus, you will have an attorney on hand if you need them to structure a more complicated deal.
Here is an article about the cost of attorney contract review.
Get Help with Contract Drafting
Get help with contract drafting by hiring a contract lawyer. Using an online boilerplate template can result in legal mistakes that cost you far more in the long run. Ensure that you receive what you want out of the contract drafting process by hiring a contract attorney to create the perfect document.
Here is another article about hiring a contract lawyer.
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