Home Blog Open Source License Review: Types, Key Terms, Legal Help

Open Source License Review: Types, Key Terms, Legal Help

This page explains the average cost to review an open source license, based on recent projects completed by lawyers on the ContractsCounsel platform.

Jump to Section

Quick Facts — Software License Lawyers

What is an Open Source License Review?

An open source license is a document in which the licensor informs the licensee of what they can and can’t do with the software they’re given to use.

This agreement identifies and clarifies rules for how the software should be used to prevent disputes. It includes information such as regarding contract duration and termination, payment schedules, intellectual property (IP), and usage restrictions.

This license should be closely reviewed because it can be quite technical. Doing this will help you to avoid committing any violations that can lead to reputational damage and even lawsuits.

Read the rest of this article to explore the different types of open source licenses, common terms you’ll usually find in these licenses, why these licenses need to be reviewed, and when to hire a lawyer to conduct a professional review.

What are the Different Open Source License Types?

There are various types of open source license types. These include:

  • Public domain license. Software in this category can be changed or used by anyone without any restrictions.
  • Permissive license. This license mentions some rules for how the software can be used and distributed, but it’s not too restrictive. An example is an MIT license that’s simple, allows for distribution, and doesn’t have strict requirements.
  • Copyleft licenses. This is a restrictive license type that specifies requirements which need to be met before you can change or distribute the open source code.

What’s Usually Included in an Open Source License?

An open source license usually contains the following information.

  • Term. The contract will clearly mention the contract’s effective and termination dates.
  • Installation. This section mentions if the licensor will install the licensed software on the licensee’s devices.
  • Payment. The licensee will make payments to the licensor to use the software, which can be made in an annual lump sum or via installments.
  • Ownership. The licensor will remain the sole owner of all rights, title, and interest regarding the software and its documentation.
  • Termination. It’s important for the license to specify how the contract can be terminated by either party, such as with written notice.
  • Confidentiality. The licensee is required to protect all trade secrets and other confidential information. This serves to protect the licensor.
  • Acceptable Parameters and Testing. The licensor can conduct acceptance testing to see if the software works properly. One of the licensee’s duties is to supply all test data and results to the licensor.
  • Dispute resolution. Should the parties have a dispute, the agreement needs to explain what method should be used to resolve it, such as arbitration.

How Do You Review an Open Source License?

When reviewing an open source license, there are important things to check for. These include the following:

  • Permissions. Check what the license states you’re allowed to do with the software, such as if you can modify or distribute it. You want this to be clear so you don’t make any mistakes.
  • Obligations. You might have to do certain things in order to be able to use the software, such as credit its author. The contract should specify how this should be done.
  • Trademark restrictions. Although you’re using the code, the license might not give you rights to use the company’s trademarks or other intellectual property.
  • Termination. Check the license for information about what actions could terminate the license, such as if you violate any of the stated requirements.
  • Commercial usage. You should check how the content is allowed to be used commercially, if applicable.
  • Dispute resolution. The license needs to specify how disputes will be resolved, such as via mediation or arbitration.
  • State governance. Check what state’s laws govern the license to ensure legal compliance throughout the project. While many open source licenses are global, they can include rules (such as regarding intellectual property) which vary across states.
  • License conflicts. Some licenses can clash with others. If you’re using more than one, you should ensure that combining codes won’t cause legal risks.

Why Should You Hire a Lawyer to Review Your Open Source License?

It’s advisable to contact a lawyer for an open source license review, especially if it’s filled with technical jargon that makes it challenging to understand. Here’s how a lawyer will give the open source license a thorough, professional review.

  • A lawyer will clarify any confusing or vague language so you can understand all your duties and requirements.
  • They’ll explain what open source components are compatible, minimizing your legal and financial risks.
  • They’ll assist you with recording your code usage to protect you if there are issues later.
  • They can check the license for any unfair clauses, such as regarding termination. If termination clauses severely restrict your use of the code in your project, it could hamper your work should the agreement end suddenly.
  • They’ll check that dispute resolution is clearly specified, in the hope of keeping potential disputes out of court.
  • They’ll check the license against various applicable laws and regulations to ensure complete compliance.

How do you get help with an open source license review?

If you need to have your open source licence reviewed, you should hire a lawyer from ContractsCounsel, an online legal marketplace that connects clients with experienced, skilled lawyers who have been vetted on the platform.

Here’s how to post a request for an open source license review.

  1. Visit the ContractsCounsel marketplace.
  2. Post your project - it’s free.
  3. Provide some details about your project so that lawyers have clarity on what you need.
  4. Wait for bids. Lawyers will send you multiple bids to work on your project.
  5. Review the lawyers’ profiles based on factors such as their experience, fields of expertise, previous projects completed on the platform, and more.
  6. Choose a lawyer who’s aligned with your requirements and start working with them to obtain a professional legal review of your open source license. It gives you peace of mind that you can safely use the software for your project.

ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.


Need help with a Software License?

Create a free project posting
Clients Rate Lawyers 4.9 Stars
based on 24,585 reviews

Meet some of our Lawyers

Jeremiah C. on ContractsCounsel
View Jeremiah
5.0 (69)
Member Since:
March 5, 2021

Jeremiah C.

Partner/Attorney at Law
Houston
18 Yrs Experience
Licensed in NV, TX
Thomas Jefferson

Creative, results driven business & technology executive with 27 years of experience (17+ as a business/corporate lawyer). A problem solver with a passion for business, technology, and law. I bring a thorough understanding of the intersection of the law and business needs to any endeavor, having founded multiple startups myself with successful exits. I provide professional business and legal consulting. Throughout my career I've represented a number large corporations (including some of the top Fortune 500 companies) but the vast majority of my clients these days are startups and small businesses. Having represented hundreds of successful crowdfunded startups, I'm one of the most well known attorneys for startups seeking CF funds. I hold a Juris Doctor degree with a focus on Business/Corporate Law, a Master of Business Administration degree in Entrepreneurship, A Master of Education degree and dual Bachelor of Science degrees. I look forward to working with any parties that have a need for my skill sets.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"I really enjoyed working with Jeremiah. He answered all my questions and did a great job on the contract work I needed."

Terence B. on ContractsCounsel
View Terence
5.0 (45)
Member Since:
August 23, 2020

Terence B.

Partner
Free Consultation
Orlando, FL and New York, NY
15 Yrs Experience
Licensed in FL, NY
Georgetown University Law Center

Terry Brennan is an experienced corporate, intellectual property and emerging company transactions attorney who has been a partner at two national Wall Street law firms and a trusted corporate counsel. He focuses on providing practical, cost-efficient and creative legal advice to entrepreneurs, established enterprises and investors for business, corporate finance, intellectual property and technology transactions. As a partner at prominent law firms, Terry's work centered around financing, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, securities transactions, outsourcing and structuring of business entities to protect, license, finance and commercialize technology, manufacturing, digital media, intellectual property, entertainment and financial assets. As the General Counsel of IBAX Healthcare Systems, Terry was responsible for all legal and related business matters including health information systems licensing agreements, merger and acquisitions, product development and regulatory issues, contract administr

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
4.7

"Terry was responsive and helped get the document to the first phase of negotiations. Document had a few typos but otherwise good."

Allen L. on ContractsCounsel
View Allen
4.9 (289)
Member Since:
October 23, 2025

Allen L.

CEO, Attorney, Certified Master Financial Coach
Free Consultation
Georgia
27 Yrs Experience
Licensed in GA
Georgia

Clear, strategic legal guidance when you need it most—whether you're planning ahead or defending a position. Legal challenges shouldn't feel confusing or overwhelming. Whether you're building an estate plan, structuring a business, or navigating a dispute, my practice is built on clarity, care, and practical strategy. I work with clients who want real solutions—not just paperwork—through planning and advice that truly fits their goals, families, and businesses. Planning & Structure I focus on estate planning, asset protection, and business succession, helping individuals and entrepreneurs organize their assets, reduce risk, and prepare for every stage of life. Whether you're setting up your first living trust, shielding your business from liability, or updating an existing estate plan, you'll receive clear guidance, fixed-fee pricing, and responsive support from start to finish. Each plan I design is tailored to your real-world priorities: preserving wealth, avoiding unnecessary taxes and probate, and ensuring the people you love are protected when it matters most. I also focus on general business matters outlined below. Disputes & Defense When legal conflicts arise—disputed contracts, demand letters, settlement negotiations, or litigation decisions—I provide realistic risk assessment and strategic guidance. I help clients understand their actual exposure (not just best-case scenarios), identify leverage points, and navigate toward efficient resolution. If you're facing a legal claim or need to evaluate your position before responding, I can walk you through the realistic options and their costs. Services: Estate Planning & Asset Protection --Simple wills and powers of attorney --Living trusts for small estates --Buy-sell agreements for family businesses Business Formation & Agreements --LLC or S-Corp formation filings --Operating Agreements / Shareholder Agreements --Founder or Investor Agreements --Bylaws and Minutes templates --Registered agent setup guidance Contracts & Commercial Matters --Service Agreements (consulting, marketing, software, design, etc.) --Independent Contractor Agreements --Employment contracts and offer letters --Non-compete, non-solicitation, or confidentiality agreements --Employee handbooks or HR policy updates --Termination or severance agreements --NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) --Partnership or Joint Venture Agreements --Sales or Vendor Contracts --Licensing or IP Agreements Terms and conditions SaaS Platforms --Terms of Service --Privacy Policy --Independent Contractor Agreements --Customer/User Agreements --Liability Waivers --Cancellation & Refund Policy --Non-Solicitation Clauses --Marketplace compliance documents Real Estate --Commercial lease drafting or review --Residential lease review --Purchase & sale agreements --Short-term rental (Airbnb) contracts --Property management agreements Professional Approach: I leverage modern legal research and writing technologies—including AI-assisted tools—to enhance the quality, speed, and clarity of my analysis. Like many legal professionals today, I use these tools to organize research, improve communication, and catch errors. On research tools: case law and statutory verification runs through a vLex/Fastcase subscription, and drafting and first-pass review is AI-assisted. Every analysis I provide is thoroughly reviewed and reflects my independent professional judgment as a licensed attorney. AI is a tool that supports my work; it does not replace it.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Allen was a fabulous help--asked insightful and concise questions, and provided all the help we asked for. Would definitely hire again."

William B. on ContractsCounsel
View William
4.8 (60)
Member Since:
May 23, 2025

William B.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Glendale, CA
5 Yrs Experience
Licensed in CA
Southwestern Law School

Attorney based in Southern California (for in-person matters), taking clients globally/remotely for CA-specific and Federal legals needs. Owner and operator of Alchemist Attorney, Inc. (www.alchemistattorney.com).

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Will contributed insightful and precisely explained revisions for technical software licensing terms and I'm very satisfied with the result."

Benjamin M. on ContractsCounsel
View Benjamin
5.0 (4)
Member Since:
August 1, 2023

Benjamin M.

IP Attorney
Free Consultation
Atlanta, Georgia
5 Yrs Experience
Licensed in GA
Michigan State University

Ben is the founder of the Middleton Law Firm (2022). He has experience in the European Union and the United States. He interned with the University Rijeka, Croatia assisting businesses with trademark, Uniform Domain-Name Registry Dispute Registry, European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy law compliance, and International Comparative Copyright issues as the country itself prepared itself for European Union statehood. He worked with Michigan State University's Anti-Counterfeit and Product Protection (A-CAPP) Center to protect and enforce its intellectual property in foreign territories and moderated panel discussions with brand owners and U.S. Customs to curb counterfeit products. Ben assisted indigent artists with legal issues and in some cases brought their works to life with Georgia Lawyers for the Arts. Ben is admitted to the federal courts of Georgia. Before practicing law, Ben worked for Core Security and Meridian Link as a software QA engineer in the information technology (IT) space. Ben produced countless commercial music recordings, engineered hundreds of songs, and served as executive producer seven studio albums as a founding member of member of Million Dollar Minds Entertainment (Est. 2006). He is an alumnus of The South Carolina State University (Bulldogs) and Michigan State University (Spartans).

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Benjamin did an excellent Job assisting me in this matter and I would highly recommend him to anyone needing the same service I received for the Cease & Desist"

Jordan M. on ContractsCounsel
View Jordan
5.0 (2)
Member Since:
October 14, 2021

Jordan M.

Partner
Free Consultation
Houston, TX
7 Yrs Experience
Licensed in TX
University of Houston Law Center

I am a software developer turned lawyer with 7+ years of experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating SaaS agreements, as well as other technology agreements. I am a partner at Freeman Lovell PLLC, where I lead commercial contracts practice group. I work with startups, growing companies, and the Fortune 500 to make sure your legal go-to-market strategy works for you.

Jonathan K. on ContractsCounsel
View Jonathan
Member Since:
November 12, 2021

Jonathan K.

Principal
Free Consultation
New York, Europe (Germany, UK)
17 Yrs Experience
Licensed in NY
Georgetown University Law Center

Pico & Kooker provides hands on legal advice in structuring, drafting, negotiating, interpreting, managing and enforcing complex high value commercial transactions. Adept at navigating complex environments, Jonathan has extensive expertise advising clients on a wide range of long- and medium-term cross border and financial engagements, including public tender participation, PPPs, export sales agreements as well as policy and regulatory formulation. Jonathan and his co-founder, Eva Pico have represented and acted on behalf of lenders, global corporations and other market participants across a range of industries including financial services, infrastructure and transportation. As outside counsel, Pico & Kooker, has developed a strong rapport and working relationship with their clients and appropriately work with their in-house teams to increase consistency, processes and procedures. The company employs a unique approach as practical, business minded outside legal counsel who believe in proactively partnering with their clients to achieve desired results while managing and engaging key stakeholders. They listen to their clients to develop customized solutions that best meet their needs while aligning with their objectives, vision and values. Some representative transactions include advising the World Bank on project finance and portfolio options to address the costs and risks associated with integrating renewable power sources. Also advising them as legal counsel, Jonathan developed policies, regulation and models for emerging market governments entering into public-private partnerships. In addition to his work with the World Bank, Jonathan has worked with some of the world’s largest consulting firms, financial institutions and governmental organizations, including the United Nations, the governments of the US, UK and select African countries. Through out his career, he has worked with large, multinational corporations both by consulting in-house and acting as outside counsel on large cross-border transactions. He graduated from Georgetown University’s law school and was admitted practice as a lawyer in New York, England and Wales and, as a foreign lawyer, in Germany. He has written several articles for trade journals and has been cited by several business publications in worldwide. Jonathan is a native English speaker and has high proficiency in German and a functional understanding of Spanish.

Find the best lawyer for your project

Browse Lawyers Now

See Real Software Agreement Projects

New Jersey VectorViewer Product License Agreement Drafting
  • New Jersey
  • 7 lawyer bids
  • $500 - $1,500
View Details
New Jersey Development contract for a software Drafting
  • New Jersey
  • 6 lawyer bids
  • $350 - $1,200
View Details
New York Review Software License Agreement Review
  • New York
  • 4 lawyer bids
  • $499 - $650
View Details
Delaware On-premise software contract between Delaware incorporated SaaS company and government agency Drafting
  • Delaware
  • 2 lawyer bids
  • $700 - $1,500
View Details
California Master Software Services Agreement - free consult Review
  • California
  • 16 lawyer bids
  • $10 - $3,750
View Details
New York Disclaimers Needed For New App Focusing on DIY Mushroom Growing to Cover Company From Liability For Anyone Growing Illegal Mushrooms Drafting
  • New York
  • 8 lawyer bids
  • $400 - $2,000
View Details

See all Software Agreement projects

Quick, user friendly and one of the better ways I've come across to get ahold of lawyers willing to take new clients.

View Trustpilot Review

Need help with a Software License?

Create a free project posting
Clients Rate Lawyers 4.9 Stars
based on 24,585 reviews
CONTRACT LAWYERS BY TOP CITIES
See All Technology Lawyers
OPEN SOURCE LICENSE REVIEW LAWYERS BY CITY
See All Open Source License Review Lawyers

Contracts Counsel was incredibly helpful and easy to use. I submitted a project for a lawyer's help within a day I had received over 6 proposals from qualified lawyers. I submitted a bid that works best for my business and we went forward with the project.

View Trustpilot Review

I never knew how difficult it was to obtain representation or a lawyer, and ContractsCounsel was EXACTLY the type of service I was hoping for when I was in a pinch. Working with their service was efficient, effective and made me feel in control. Thank you so much and should I ever need attorney services down the road, I'll certainly be a repeat customer.

View Trustpilot Review

I got 5 bids within 24h of posting my project. I choose the person who provided the most detailed and relevant intro letter, highlighting their experience relevant to my project. I am very satisfied with the outcome and quality of the two agreements that were produced, they actually far exceed my expectations.

View Trustpilot Review

Need help with a Software License?

Create a free project posting
Clients Rate Lawyers 4.9 Stars
based on 24,585 reviews

Want to speak to someone?

Get in touch below and we will schedule a time to connect!

Request a call

Find lawyers and attorneys by city