What is Internship Agreement Drafting?
An internship agreement is a legal contract between a company and an individual who will be interning for them, such as a student. It needs to clarify how their working arrangement will go, such as regarding what tasks are expected of the intern and if the intern will be compensated for their work.
In the rest of this article, we’ll explore key terms to include in a solid internship agreement, how to draft it, and why you should consider hiring a qualified lawyer to draft your internship agreement for you.
What Key Terms Should You Put in an Internship Agreement?
There are various components to include in an internship agreement for clarity. These include the following:
- Parties. State the parties involved in the internship agreement, along with their addresses, to ensure the correct legal entities are mentioned.
- Duration. Explain the agreement’s start and end dates.
- Tasks. This outlines what jobs the intern will be expected to do.
- Payment. If the intern will be compensated for their internship at the company, this section will explain exactly what they will earn.
- Schedule. For clarity and to prevent misunderstandings, the internship agreement should explain the working hours the intern will be expected to work.
- Confidentiality. There should be a clause that prevents the intern from sharing sensitive information, such as the company’s trade secrets, that can harm the company’s reputation.
- Termination. If either party wishes to end the internship agreement, the contract should state how they can do this.
What are Tips for Drafting an Internship Agreement?
An internship agreement should clearly define parties’ duties, but it must also be comprehensive so there’s no risk of disputes from missing information. Here’s a rundown of some tips to bear in mind when drafting it.
Explain Intellectual Property (IP) Ownership
When drafting confidentiality clauses, don’t forget to include IP ownership to prevent disputes in future. You should clearly state that the company owns all IP, which might include code, reports, or designs, that the intern creates during the agreement term. If the intern will be using previously-created IP, you should also state that the company owns it.
Review the Relevant Laws
Your internship agreement should be aligned with all applicable laws and regulations. It can help you to work with a lawyer to ensure all terms in the contract are legally sound and compliant to prevent issues.
Explain the Role
To avoid situations in which the intern isn’t doing productive tasks in the company, it can be beneficial to consult with your company’s department heads to brainstorm tasks that the intern can complete for the company.
Consider Compensation
Although some interns aren’t compensated, it’s important for for-profit employers to ensure that the intern is benefiting more from the internship than they are. There is criteria to ensure this, such as by establishing training-focused experiences.
If the intern is being paid, the agreement must clearly state how much they will earn and the payment schedules.
Include Objectives
It’s useful to include a section in the internship agreement that explains the purpose of the internship and its learning objectives. You could also mention the internship’s expected outcomes, such as applying academic skills to a real-world environment or gaining hands-on experience in a certain field or industry.
Do You Need to Hire a Lawyer to Draft Your Internship Agreement?
While you don’t have to work with a lawyer to draft an internship agreement, it’s advisable. A lawyer will be able to ensure the agreement is legally compliant and reasonable to encourage a successful working relationship between parties.
A lawyer can help you in various ways during the contract drafting process, such as:
- Checking that the internship agreement is compliant with all employment and labor laws.
- Advising you if the internship should be paid or unpaid based on legal requirements.
- Defining all intern tasks and duties so that there’s clarity between parties.
- Protecting your interests, such as by including confidentiality and IP clauses.
- Minimizing your legal risks by using clear and legally-enforceable language.
- Customizing the internship agreement to your specific working relationship.
- Reviewing your internship agreement as needed so that it’s updated according to your business needs and the laws.
Where to Find a Lawyer for Internship Agreement Drafting
When you decide to hire a lawyer to draft your internship agreement, you might wonder where to find one who’s reputable and has gained experience in contract drafting. Online legal platforms such as ContractsCounsel make it easy to find a suitable lawyer in your location.
ContractsCounsel is one of the largest online legal marketplaces that gives you access to a network of vetted lawyers. It enables you to connect with a lawyer who can draft a legal and clear internship agreement to protect your interests.
To request that a lawyer on the ContractsCounsel platform drafts your internship agreement, follow these steps:
- Go to the ContractsCounsel marketplace, where you can post your project for free. Include a few details to match with the best lawyers, such as the reason for the internship.
- Receive lawyer bids on the platform. You’ll receive multiple bids from lawyers directly on the platform who can draft your contract for you.
- Once you receive the lawyer bids, you can review the lawyers’ profiles to select the most suitable lawyer. ContractsCounsel has extensive lawyer data, such as the lawyers’ location, credentials, client ratings for previous projects, years of experience, and field of expertise.
- Connect with a lawyer and hire them to draft your internship agreement for a flat fee.
