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A professional services agreement (PSA) is a form that firms or consultants can use to create a contractually binding arrangement with a highly skilled business or individual. These agreements usually cover single projects with defined scopes or timelines. As a legally binding contract, a PSA provides protection for both the consultant and the business that requests the services.
A PSA typically lists the services that the consultant will perform, the compensation that the business will provide, and the time frame for the contract. Because many PSAs also detail procedures, terms, and requirements for the service, they can be several pages long.
Because PSAs tend to be detailed and lengthy, most organizations use them only when contracting a consultant to provide highly technical professional services. The “professional” aspect of a PSA can refer to two different definitions of the term:
Professional services typically cover intellectual deliverables rather than physical products. For example, a PSA wouldn't be appropriate for an organization providing manufacturing, labor, or construction services. However, your organization may need a PSA if you contract a consultant to provide services like:
Here is an article with more examples of professional services.
Most organizations use PSAs for projects with clearly defined requirements, such as limited time frames or specific tasks. However, some PSAs cover ongoing services that require advanced technical skills, certifications, or licenses. PSAs can even serve as blanket agreements that allow a business to contract a consultant or firm for a set period of time.
No matter what your PSA covers, your organization should always prepare one before starting to work with a consultant. By signing a PSA before services commence, you can establish the scope of the project, the workflow, the time frame, the rate, and other key details.
You can customize a PSA to include almost any necessary stipulations or protections. However, most PSAs include a few standard sections:
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Subcontracts and PSAs are both binding agreements that outline the services a firm or consultant will provide for another organization. However, an independent contractor or subcontractor carries out the services included in a subcontract, while a vendor provides the services detailed in a PSA.
In addition to PSAs, consulting firms and independent consultants often need a range of contracts and legally binding documents. As a consultant, you may have to prepare:
Whether you need to customize a standard PSA or you want to create an agreement from scratch, it's important to have a lawyer draft the document. When you contract an attorney, you can benefit in a few key ways:
No matter what type of PSA you need, the ContractsCounsel team is at your service. Get a free proposal and take the first step toward creating a customized professional services agreement today.
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.
I have had my own law practice since 2014 and I enjoy solving my clients’ problems. That’s why I constantly stay on top of the latest developments in the law and business of startups, entertainment, art, intellectual property, and commercial enterprise. I constantly keep learning because everything I learn helps me make my client’s life better. I assist clients in all aspects of copyright, trademark, contract, trade secret, business, nonprofit, employment, mediation, art, fashion, and entertainment law. Even though I am licensed to practice law in NY, I have worked for clients all over the country and even in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. No matter the client, I always look for ways to protect their assets, artworks, businesses, and brands with strategies to help them grow. I am a fluent bilingual legal professional who can analyze complex legal and business problems and solve them creatively for the benefit of my clients. I am detail-oriented and attentive which makes me excellent at negotiating, drafting, and revising all types of agreements and deals. I advise creatives and companies on intellectual property issues, risk management, and strategic planning. My clients love what I do for them because I employ a practical, client-tailored, and results-oriented approach to their case, no matter how small.
Liz is an experienced insurance professional, having worked with carriers and brokers for over 10 years. She can review or draft a variety of commercial agreements and is here to help your business. Specialties include: Master Service Agreements, business process outsourcing, marketing and partnership agreements, broker agreements, business associate agreements, and NDAs.
I have been practicing law for more than 7 years in Maine and have owned my law practice, Dirigo Law LLC, since 2020. My practice focuses mostly on Real Estate / Corporate transactions, Wills, Trusts, and Probate matters.
My name is Melissa “Mel” Green and I provide legal counsel to entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses that is clear, concise, and focused on the practical impact of decisions. As trusted legal counsel, I proactively identify risks, and develop effective, practical solutions that protect my clients businesses, create positive outcomes, and help mitigate legal exposure. My areas of expertise include business formation, contract law/commercial transactions, healthcare law, and intellectual property. I also provide services as an outside general counsel or “fractional general counsel”. Prior to starting my own law firm, I spent the majority of my career in-house at large and small corporations, both for profit and not-for-profit, working with senior and executive management, in addition to other stakeholders at a variety of management levels. to proactively identify and address risks, mitigate legal exposure, streamline processes, lead persuasive negotiations that are integral to ensuring positive outcomes for the organization, and deliver hands-on, spectacular client service. There came a time when I realized that individuals and smaller entities were not receiving the same level of legal support and guidance as mid-size to large companies and as a result, individuals and small businesses were not growing and sustaining on the same level. I wanted to use my expertise to provide those that were underserved by the legal market with competent counsel at an affordable price. With the increasing number of new businesses, I knew that I could make a difference to those that needed legal guidance but were putting it off in fear of “Big Law” prices. I love to “partner” with my clients, get a deep understanding of their business, develop lasting professional relationships and watch them prosper. I want to find a way to help my clients maximize the reach, value and impact of their business. Services that I have provided over the course of my career: (i) reviewing, drafting and negotiating commercial agreements (leases, MSAs and SOWs, consulting services agreements, confidentiality agreements, SaaS agreements, coaching agreements, independent contractor agreements, coaching agreements, photographer agreements, waivers and releases, licensing agreements, etc.), (ii) business formation (operating agreements, written consents, bylaws, etc.), (iii) preparing policies and procedures for businesses in highly regulated industries, (iv) conducting federal trademark searches and filing trademark applications/preparing trademark opinion letters after conducting appropriate legal research, and (v) general business counsel.
