Need an NDA? When You Need One and How to Get It Right

You are about to share something valuable — a business idea, client list, financial data, trade secrets, or proprietary technology — with someone who is not yet bound to keep it confidential.

Maybe it is a potential investor, a new hire, a contractor, a business partner, or a company you are negotiating with. Before you share anything, you need a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

When you need an NDA

• Before investor meetings — protecting your idea while seeking funding
• Before hiring contractors — they will see your systems, clients, and processes
• During business negotiations — due diligence for acquisitions, partnerships, or joint ventures
• When sharing client data — if a third party needs access to your customer information
• During employment — protecting trade secrets when hiring key staff

One-way vs mutual NDA

One-way NDA: Only one party is sharing confidential information. Use this when hiring a contractor or sharing your idea with a potential investor.

Mutual NDA: Both parties are sharing confidential information. Use this during business negotiations, partnerships, or joint ventures where both sides bring sensitive data to the table.

What a good NDA includes

• Definition of confidential information (broad enough to cover everything, specific enough to be enforceable)
• Permitted use — what they can use the information
• Term — how long the confidentiality obligation lasts (typically 2-5 years)
• Exclusions — information that is already public, independently developed, or legally required to be disclosed
• Return or destruction of materials on termination

Get yours drafted

Claim Done drafts your NDA for $49. Tell us who the parties are, what you are protecting, and how long it needs to last — we draft a plain-English NDA under Australian law. Done in about 5 minutes.