At First Law Solicitors, we advise consultants, advisory firms and client organisations on the creation and management of clear, legally sound consultancy and advisory contracts. These agreements sit at the heart of professional service delivery, setting out the scope of work, payment terms, intellectual property rights, confidentiality obligations and liability provisions.
Our solicitors ensure that every consultancy relationship is documented with precision and in full compliance with the latest UK digital and commercial standards.
A consultancy or advisory contract defines the working relationship between a consultant and their client. It explains what will be delivered, how the work will be carried out and the terms under which it will be provided.
Following the full implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, consultants operating in digital or data-driven sectors must ensure that their contracts reflect transparent performance standards, lawful data use and secure record keeping.
At First Law Solicitors, we prepare consultancy agreements that protect intellectual property, define deliverables clearly and comply with the Digital Verification Services framework. We also ensure that all contracts are suitable for execution using Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) in line with the UK eIDAS regime.
Our solicitors guide clients through every stage of the consultancy contracting process, from initial drafting through to completion, renewal and variation.
We begin by understanding the nature of your consultancy work and the outcomes you need to achieve. Our team then drafts tailored consultancy agreements that clearly define the scope of work and deliverables, set out timeframes and milestones, establish payment and invoicing arrangements, clarify ownership and permitted use of intellectual property, address confidentiality and data protection obligations, and include appropriate termination rights and liability provisions.
Every agreement is prepared in compliance with the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
We regularly review consultancy contracts issued by clients, counterparties or procurement departments. Our solicitors identify clauses that create unnecessary risk or uncertainty and propose clear, practical amendments. Where appropriate, we negotiate directly with the other party to achieve a fair, balanced and commercially workable outcome.
Under the Digital Verification Services framework, consultancy agreements are now commonly executed and retained digitally. We ensure that your contracts meet QES standards, that signatory authorisations are valid, and that your records are securely stored, verifiable and compliant with current digital requirements.
Correctly defining whether a consultant is an independent contractor is essential to avoid disputes over employment rights or tax status. Our solicitors draft clear contractual terms that establish independent status while preserving flexibility for genuine advisory work, including addressing the updated IR35 framework.
From April 2025, clients with an annual turnover under £15 million are classed as small companies for IR35 purposes, which shifts responsibility for status determination back to the consultant. We ensure that consultancy contracts reflect this change accurately.
Consultants often create original materials, methodologies or strategic tools. We ensure that consultancy agreements define ownership and permitted usage rights clearly, in line with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and established commercial practice.
Under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, consultants who handle client or personal data must have a lawful basis for processing, including reliance on the new Recognised Legitimate Interests provision where appropriate. Our solicitors draft confidentiality and data protection clauses that align with UK GDPR, the DUAA and the guidance of the Information Commission.
We prepare enforceable limitation of liability provisions that comply with the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, ensuring that risk is allocated fairly and proportionately between consultants and clients.
Digital compliance is now a central element of consultancy contracting. Under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and the Digital Verification Services framework, contracts must maintain accurate and verifiable records of consent, amendment and renewal.
We carry out Contract Integrity Audits to confirm that digital records correspond with signed versions, that signatories and timestamps meet DVS and QES standards, that renewals and amendments are properly tracked, and that consent and data records comply with the transparency requirements of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
This structured approach helps prevent administrative errors, data inconsistencies and disputes concerning contract validity or enforceability.
At First Law Solicitors, consultancy contracts are treated as strategic tools for business protection and sustainable growth.
Our approach is built on strategic clarity, ensuring that obligations, deliverables and outcomes are clearly defined to minimise dispute risk and provide certainty for both parties. We combine legal and digital precision so that agreements align fully with the UK’s current digital contracting standards while remaining robust and enforceable. We also offer ongoing partnership support, advising on renewals, amendments and post-contract performance issues as professional relationships evolve.
If you require expert advice on drafting, reviewing or negotiating a consultancy or advisory contract, contact First Law Solicitors today. We assist consultants, professional advisers and businesses in creating legally sound agreements that protect their interests and support strong professional relationships.
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