Beware Contracts & Agreements

Just another reminder to ALWAYS read any contracts you're asked to sign. Last week I had a client, one I have worked with for over a year now, tell me, "We need you to sign a NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT." Meaning, basically, that I do not discuss the project with anyone. Because of the nature of the project I had no problem with agreeing to this.___But once I got home and looked at the contract I first realized it was five pages long, which in my experience is awfully long for a NON-DISCLOSURE. This sent up a warning flag. I read through the contract and had my suspicions justified when in the VERY LAST section I discovered the lovely old WORK FOR HIRE buried deep within all the legal mumbo-jumbo. I contacted the client and told them, politely but in no uncertain terms, first, what they had given me was not a NON-DISCLOSURE as they had made clear that it was and if signing a WORK FOR HIRE was the only way we could work together, then I would not be able to work with them. Surprisingly, the client did not deny the WORK FOR HIRE but said, "Yeah, I thought that was excessive, too."___ They sent me a NON-DISCLOSURE form that afternoon.___I am glad I will still be working for this client but it is obvious to me that if I had not caught that WORK FOR HIRE buried in that first contract, they would not have shared that on their own.___ So just be careful what you sign

Sunshine Week Cartoons

Members of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists participate every year in National Sunshine Week, celebrating the public's right to know. Given the increasing secrecy of government (both national and local) it is more important than ever to have an informed, involved citizenry.

I have posted the Sunshine Week web site so that you can take a look at some of the cartoons that have been sent in. More will be coming in the next few days

http://www.sunshineweek.org/sunshineweek/cartoons08

Minnesota Division Judging

Just a reminder that the second and last stage of our chapter divisional judging will take place tomorrow, Saturday the 8th, at my place at 4:00 pm. Come earlier or later if it suits your schedule. We have 17 total applicants and most have only one book, so it's not going to be a massive, time consuming process. I do want to know who will be here and when so please email me at tom@tomrichmond.com and let me know you are coming. For those who need it I will give you directions to get here.