CONSULTANT CONTRACT
THIS CONSULTANT CONTRACT (this "
Agreement"), dated as of [_____________], is between [_____________], a [_____________] corporation with an address at [_____________] (the "
Company") and [_____________], with an address at [_____________] ("
Consultant").
The parties agree as follows:
1. Services and Payment. Consultant agrees to undertake and complete the following investor relations services on behalf of the Company "
Services". Company will pay Consultant $[_____________].
2. Ownership; Rights; Proprietary Information; Publicity.
A. Company shall own all right, title and interest (including patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, mask work rights, trademark rights, sui generis database rights and all other intellectual and industrial property rights of any sort throughout the world) relating to any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), works of authorship, mask works, designations, designs, know-how, ideas and information made or conceived or reduced to practice, in whole or in part, by Consultant during the term of this Agreement that relate to the subject matter of, or arise out of, the Services or any Proprietary Information (as defined below) (collectively, "Inventions") and Consultant will promptly disclose and provide all Inventions to Company. Consultant hereby makes all assignments necessary to accomplish the foregoing ownership. Consultant shall further assist Company, at Company's expense, to further evidence, record and perfect such assignments, and to perfect, obtain, maintain, enforce, and defend any rights assigned. Consultant hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Company as its agents and attorneys-in-fact, coupled with an interest, to act for and in Consultant's behalf to execute and file any document and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the foregoing with the same legal force and effect as if executed by Consultant.
B. Consultant agrees that all Inventions and all other business, technical and financial information (including, without limitation, the identity of and information relating to customers or employees) Consultant develops, learns or obtains during the period over which Consultant is to be providing Services that relate to Company or the business or demonstrably anticipated business of Company or that are received by or for Company in confidence, constitute "Proprietary Information". Consultant will hold in confidence and not disclose or, except in performing the Services, use any Proprietary Information. However, Consultant shall not be obligated under this paragraph with respect to information Consultant can document is or becomes readily publicly available without restriction through no fault of Consultant. Upon termination and as otherwise requested by Company, Consultant will promptly return to Company all items and copies containing or embodying Proprietary Information, except that Consultant may keep its personal copies of its compensation records and this Agreement. Consultant also recognizes and agrees that Consultant has no expectation of privacy with respect to Company's telecommunications, networking or information processing systems (including, without limitation, stored computer files, email messages and voice messages) and that Consultant's activity, and any files or messages, on or using any of those systems may be monitored at any time without notice.
C. As additional protection for Proprietary Information, Consultant agrees that during the period over which it is to be providing Services (i) and for one year thereafter, Consultant will not encourage or solicit any employee or Consultant of Company to leave Company for any reason and (ii) Consultant will not engage in any activity that is in any way competitive with the business or demonstrably anticipated business of Company, and Consultant will not assist any other person or organization in competing or in preparing to compete with any business or demonstrably anticipated business of Company.
D. To the extent allowed by law, Company's rights hereunder include all rights of paternity, integrity, disclosure and withdrawal and any other rights that may be known as or referred to as "moral rights," "artist's rights," "droit moral," or the like. Furthermore, Consultant agrees that notwithstanding any rights of publicity, privacy or otherwise (whether or not statutory) anywhere in the world and without any further compensation, Company may and is hereby authorized to use Consultant's name in connection with promotion of its business, products and services and to allow others to do so and. To the extent any of the foregoing is ineffective under applicable law, Consultant hereby provides any and all ratifications and consents necessary to accomplish the purposes of the foregoing to the extent possible. Consultant will confirm any such ratifications and consents from time to time as requested by Company. If any other person provides any Services or provides services similar to any of those referred to above in this paragraph in connection with the Services, Consultant will obtain the foregoing ratifications, consents and authorizations from such person for Company's exclusive benefit.
E. If any part of the Services or Inventions is based on, incorporates, or is an improvement or derivative of, or cannot be reasonably and fully made, used, reproduced, distributed and otherwise exploited without using or violating technology or intellectual property rights owned or licensed by Consultant and not assigned hereunder, Consultant hereby grants Company and its successors a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide royalty-free, non-exclusive, sublicensable right and license to exploit and exercise all such technology and intellectual property rights in support of Company's exercise or exploitation of the Services, Inventions, other work performed hereunder, or any assigned rights (including any modifications, improvements and derivatives of any of them).
3. Warranty. Consultant warrants that: (i) the Services will be performed in a professional and workmanlike manner and that none of such Services or any part of this Agreement is or will be inconsistent with any obligation Consultant may have to others; (ii) all work under this Agreement shall be Consultant's original work and none of the Services or Inventions or any development, use, production, distribution or exploitation thereof will infringe, misappropriate or violate any intellectual property or other right of any person or entity (including, without limitation, Consultant); and, (iii) Consultant has the full right to allow it to provide the Company with the assignments and rights provided for herein.
4. Termination. If either party materially breaches a material provision of this Agreement, the other party may terminate this Agreement upon 15 days' notice unless the breach is cured within the notice period. Company also may terminate this Agreement at any time, with or without cause, upon 15 days' notice, but, if (and only if) without cause, Company shall upon termination pay Consultant all unpaid amounts due for Services completed prior to notice of termination.
5. Relationship of the Parties; Independent Contractor; No Employee Benefits. Notwithstanding any provision hereof, Consultant is an independent contractor (not an employee or other agent) solely responsible for the manner and hours in which Services are performed, is solely responsible for all taxes, withholdings, and other statutory, regulatory or contractual obligations of any sort (including, but not limited to, those relating to workers' compensation, disability insurance, Social Security, unemployment compensation coverage, the Fair Labor Standards Act, income taxes, etc.), and is not entitled to any to participate in any employee benefit plans, fringe benefit programs, group insurance arrangements or similar programs. Consultant agrees to indemnify Company from any and all claims, damages, liability, settlement, attorneys' fees and expenses, as incurred, on account of the foregoing or any breach of this Agreement or any other action or inaction of Consultant. If Consultant is a corporation, it will ensure that its employees and agents are bound in writing to Consultant's obligations under this Agreement.
6. General.
Entire Agreement and Amendments. This Agreement is the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all earlier and simultaneous agreements regarding the subject matter. This Agreement may be amended only in a written document, signed by both parties.
Independent Contractors, Third Party Beneficiaries, and Subcontractors. The parties acknowledge that they are independent contractors under this Agreement, and except if expressly stated otherwise, none of the parties, nor any of their employees or agents, has the power or authority to bind or obligate another party. Except if expressly stated, no third party is a beneficiary of this Agreement.
Governing Law and Forum. All claims regarding this Agreement are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of [____________], applicable to contracts wholly made and performed in such jurisdiction, except for any choice or conflict of law principles, and must be litigated in [____________], regardless of the inconvenience of the forum, except that a party may seek temporary injunctive relief in any venue of its choosing.
Assignment. This Agreement binds and inures to the benefit of the parties' successors and assigns. This Agreement is not assignable, delegable, sublicenseable or otherwise transferable by Consultant in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Company. Any transfer, assignment, delegation or sublicense by Consultant without such consent is invalid.
No Waivers, Cumulative Remedies. A party's failure to insist upon strict performance of any provision of this Agreement is not a waiver of any of its rights under this Agreement. Except if expressly stated otherwise, all remedies under this Agreement, at law or in equity, are cumulative and nonexclusive.
Severability. If any portion of this Agreement is held to be unenforceable, the unenforceable portion must be construed as nearly as possible to reflect the original intent of the parties, the remaining portions remain in full force and effect, and the unenforceable portion remains enforceable in all other contexts and jurisdictions.
Notices. All notices, including notices of address changes, under this Agreement must be sent by registered or certified mail or by overnight commercial delivery to the address set forth in this Agreement by each party.
Captions and Plural Terms. All captions are for purposes of convenience only and are not to be used in interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement. Terms defined in the singular have the same meaning in the plural and vice versa.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties execute this Agreement. Each person who signs this Agreement below represents that such person is fully authorized to sign this Agreement on behalf of the applicable party.
COMPANY
By: __________________________________
Print Name: ___________________________
Title: ________________________________
CONSULTANT
By: __________________________________
Print Name: ___________________________
Title: ________________________________