International Consultancy Agreement — International / Cross-Border | IndexLaw Templates
Consultancy agreementInternational / Cross-Border
International Consultancy Agreement
A cross-border agreement under which a Consultant provides independent professional services to a Client, with adaptable terms for scope, fees, intellectual property, confidentiality, data protection, tax, liability, termination and dispute resolution.
What it covers
Business-to-business consultancy and advisory engagements with an independent Consultant.
Cross-border service arrangements where the parties need an agreed governing law, forum and currency.
Project-based or continuing services, whether fees are fixed, time-based or milestone-based.
What it does not cover
Employment, worker, agency, partnership or joint-venture arrangements.
Regulated legal, audit, investment, medical or other professional services requiring sector-specific mandatory terms.
Arrangements involving a Consultant's secondment into the Client's workforce where local employment and labour law advice is required.
Consumer engagements or public-sector procurement subject to mandatory procurement rules.
Document preview16 sections
INDEXLAW / CONTRACT LIBRARYAGREEMENT TEMPLATE
International Consultancy Agreement
International / Cross-Border
Highlighted blanks are the details your parties fill in.
Parties
This agreement is dated the date on which it is signed by the last of the parties.
This agreement is made between [TO BE CONFIRMED — Client] (the "Client") and [TO BE CONFIRMED — Consultant] (the "Consultant").
Key Terms
"Purpose" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Purpose].
"Services" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Services].
"Deliverables" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Deliverables].
"Work Product" means all reports, analyses, documents, software, materials and other work product created by or for the Consultant, alone or with others, in providing the Services, including all deliverables.
"Service Standard" means with reasonable skill, care and diligence expected of a suitably qualified professional providing comparable services.
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A balanced agreement for a Client retaining a Consultant to give advice and expert support paid mainly by time — a day rate, hourly rate or retainer — governed by ADGM law (English common law and the English statutes applied in ADGM), with the ADGM Courts.
Jurisdiction
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)
"Commencement Date" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Commencement Date].
"Term" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Term].
"Fee Basis" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Fee Basis].
"Fees" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Fees].
"Currency" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Currency].
"Invoicing Frequency" means monthly in arrears.
"Payment Period" means 30 days after receipt of a valid undisputed invoice.
"Late Payment Interest" means 2% per annum above the applicable central bank base rate.
"Expense Policy" means reasonable pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses.
"Tax Treatment" means Fees are exclusive of applicable indirect taxes; each party bears taxes imposed on its own income.
"Termination Notice Period" means 30 days.
"Liability Cap" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Liability Cap].
"Insurance Requirement" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Insurance Requirement].
"Confidentiality Period" means 3 years after termination or expiry.
"Data Processing Details" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Data Processing Details].
"Notice Details" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Notice Details].
"Governing Law" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Governing Law].
"Dispute Forum" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Dispute Forum].
"Contract Language" means English.
Interpretation
Where a party is an individual, "it", "its" and "itself" refer to that individual; a reference to a party's officers, board, constitutional documents or being duly incorporated or organised applies only to a party that is a body corporate or other entity; and a reference to a party becoming insolvent includes, for an individual, being made bankrupt or becoming subject to any equivalent procedure in any jurisdiction.
Services
The Consultant will provide the Services for the Purpose during the Term in accordance with the Service Standard. The Consultant will provide the Deliverables, if any, in the form and by the times reasonably agreed by the parties.
The Client will provide timely access to the information, systems, personnel, decisions and approvals reasonably needed for the Consultant to perform the Services. The Consultant is not responsible for delay or additional cost caused by the Client's failure to do so.
Within a reasonable time after receiving a Deliverable, the Client will either accept it or give the Consultant written reasons why it does not materially conform to the agreed requirements. The Consultant will promptly correct a substantiated non-conformity. A Deliverable is accepted when the Client confirms acceptance or uses it in production, other than for testing.
Fees and Payment
The Client will pay the Fees in the Currency in accordance with the Fee Basis. The Consultant will invoice at the Invoicing Frequency. The Client will pay each valid undisputed invoice within the Payment Period. If the Client disputes an invoice in good faith, it will promptly explain the dispute and pay the undisputed amount by the due date.
The Consultant may charge Late Payment Interest on an overdue undisputed amount, to the extent permitted by applicable law, from its due date until payment.
The Expense Policy applies to expenses incurred in providing the Services. The Tax Treatment applies to the Fees and payments under this agreement. Each party will provide reasonable documentation needed for the other party to comply with applicable tax law.
Independent Contractor
The Consultant acts as an independent contractor and not as the Client's employee, worker, agent, partner or joint venturer. Neither party may bind the other or incur obligations for it without that party's prior written authority. The Consultant is responsible for its personnel and for taxes, social-security contributions and other obligations arising from its engagement, except as applicable law requires otherwise.
Intellectual Property
Each party retains ownership of intellectual property it owned or developed independently of this agreement. On full payment of the Fees, the Consultant assigns to the Client the intellectual property rights in the Work Product created specifically for the Client, excluding the Consultant's pre-existing materials, tools, methods, know-how and reusable components. The Consultant grants the Client a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use those excluded items as incorporated in the Work Product for the Client's internal business purposes.
Confidentiality
Each party will protect the other party's confidential information using at least reasonable care, use it only to perform or receive the Services, and disclose it only to personnel and advisers who need to know it and are bound by equivalent confidentiality obligations. This does not apply to information that the receiving party can show is public through no breach, already lawfully known, independently developed, or lawfully received without restriction. A receiving party may disclose confidential information where law requires it, if it gives prior notice where legally permitted. These obligations continue for the Confidentiality Period.
Data Protection
Each party will comply with applicable data-protection law when processing personal data under this agreement. The parties will comply with the Data Processing Details and will put in place any further data-processing or international-transfer terms required by applicable law. The Consultant will implement appropriate technical and organisational measures and notify the Client without undue delay after becoming aware of a personal-data breach affecting personal data processed for the Client.
Compliance
Each party will comply with applicable anti-bribery, anti-corruption, sanctions, export-control and modern-slavery laws in connection with this agreement. Neither party will require the other to act in a way that would breach those laws.
Insurance
The Consultant will maintain the Insurance Requirement during the Term and provide reasonable evidence of it on request.
Liability
Neither party is liable to the other for lost profit, lost revenue, loss of opportunity, loss of goodwill, or indirect or consequential loss. Subject to liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, each party's total liability arising out of or in connection with this agreement is limited to the Liability Cap.
Term and Termination
This agreement begins on the Commencement Date and continues for the Term unless ended earlier under this clause. Either party may terminate it for convenience by giving the other party the Termination Notice Period. Either party may terminate immediately by written notice if the other party commits a material breach and, where the breach can be remedied, fails to remedy it within a reasonable time after written notice requiring remedy, or becomes insolvent to the extent applicable law permits.
If the Consultant is an individual, this agreement ends automatically on the Consultant's death, and the Client may terminate it immediately by written notice if the Consultant is unable through illness, injury or incapacity to provide the Services for more than 30 consecutive days.
On termination or expiry, the Client will pay the Consultant for Services properly performed and approved expenses properly incurred up to that date. Each party will return or securely destroy the other party's confidential information on request, except for copies required by law or retained in routine backups. The following will continue after termination or expiry: the Interpretation, Intellectual Property, Confidentiality, Liability, Notices, General and Governing Law and Disputes clauses; the Fees and Payment clause as to amounts accrued; the Independent Contractor clause as it allocates responsibility for taxes; the Data Protection clause where this agreement includes it; and any other provision intended by its nature to continue.
Notices
A notice under this agreement must be in writing and sent to the relevant party using the Notice Details, or any replacement details notified in writing. A notice sent by email is received when no delivery-failure message is received; a notice sent by courier is received on recorded delivery. This clause does not apply to service of court proceedings where applicable law requires another method.
General
This agreement is the entire agreement between the parties about its subject matter and supersedes prior discussions and arrangements about it. A change is effective only if agreed in writing by both parties. Neither party may assign or transfer this agreement without the other party's prior written consent, except to a successor in connection with a merger, reorganisation or transfer of substantially all relevant business or assets. If any provision is unenforceable, it will be modified to the minimum extent necessary or severed, and the rest will continue. A person who is not a party has no right to enforce this agreement unless applicable law requires otherwise.
Governing Law and Disputes
The Governing Law governs this agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it. The parties will first try in good faith to resolve a dispute through senior representatives. If they do not resolve it, the Dispute Forum has exclusive jurisdiction, except that either party may seek urgent interim relief from any court with jurisdiction. The Contract Language is the controlling language of this agreement.
A balanced agreement for a Client retaining a Consultant (a firm or an individual) to give advice and expert support paid mainly by time — a day rate, hourly rate or monthly retainer — under the law of a US state (Delaware by default; New York and California specifics included as conditional clauses).
Jurisdiction
Delaware, United States · New York, United States · California, United States · United States (Federal)
A balanced agreement for a Client retaining a Consultant (a firm, or an individual through a company or in their own name) to give advice and expert support paid mainly by time — a day rate, hourly rate or retainer — under the law of England and Wales.
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A balanced agreement for a Client retaining a licensed Consultant to give advice and expert support in mainland UAE, paid mainly by time — a day rate, hourly rate or retainer — under the laws of the chosen Emirate and UAE federal law, with emirate courts or arbitration under the rules of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre.
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A balanced, law-neutral advisor agreement for a cross-border startup or board advisor engaged as an independent contractor and paid in equity, a fee or both: services and time commitment, an optional share, option or phantom award under the company's own law with monthly vesting, cliff and optional acceleration, confidentiality, IP, compliance, withholding tax, liability and arbitration (English law and ICC arbitration in London by default).