A memorandum of understanding, or MoU, is a non-binding document to show commitment and understanding of responsibilities for an agreement made between two parties. MoUs are essentially used when two parties want to write down their general understanding of a potential transaction they want to engage in.
MoUs are typically made by governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and corporate entities when partnering with other organizations to document terms and conditions, transactions and negotiations.
There are different types of MoUs used for different types of contracts or services. Here are some major types of MoUs used by businesses:
An MoU for a joint venture agreement is used in the early stages of negotiation between two or more parties. It is also called a co-venture agreement. A joint venture agreement is a temporary business contract between two or more parties to help work towards a common goal. The agreement defines all responsibilities of the parties involved.
There are two main types of joint ventures – contractual and general joint ventures.
A service contract is a legally binding agreement between a service provider and a client which outlines the terms and conditions of the services that will be provided. For example, construction contractors use a service agreement to detail the renovations that they are making to a client's home and to outline how they will be paid for it. Similarly, a business can use a service contract to hire a temporary freelancer or contractor.
A service agreement MoU would detail the services that will be provided to a business in a non-binding document. They are typically used during preliminary negotiations.
An outsourcing agreement is a contract formed between two or more parties, generally a company and a service provider. The service provider promises to deliver specified services, which is outsourced by the company. All outsourcing MoUs contain the following elements:
An asset purchase agreement is an agreement between a buyer and a seller used to transfer ownership of an asset for a set price. The seller decides which specific assets to sell and exclude in an asset purchase agreement. These are the key elements addressed in an asset purchase MoU:
A share purchase agreement is used during the purchase of shares which is essentially the purchase of a company’s operating business. The buyer of shares of a company generally will want some contractual promises about the company, known as warranties, which will continue to bind the shareholder, who is selling the shares, after the sale. A share purchase MoU discuss the following key elements:
A business relationship MoU outlines what each organization agrees to contribute to a partnership, a timeframe for deliverables, details of collaboration, terms and conditions, payments and compensation, etc.
Here are some examples of MoU and when they are used.
You can write a memorandum of understanding by following the steps listed below:
These are the key elements present in any MoU:
MoUs are generally written by organizations or companies offering the collaboration or partnership. Since companies tend to have their own legal counsel, they can draft an MoU fairly easily. It is advisable to seek a business lawyer or a contracts lawyer who understands federal, state and local laws to draft an MoU. However, you can also draft your own MoU using templates available online.
Do you need help writing an MoU? Post a project in ContractsCounsel’s marketplace to get free bids from lawyers that specialize in MoU drafting. All lawyers are vetted by our team and are peer reviewed for you to review before hiring.
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.
Attorney Garrett Mayleben's practice is focused on representing small businesses and the working people that make them profitable. He represents companies in structuring and negotiating merger, acquisition, and real estate transactions; guides emerging companies through the startup phase; and consults with business owners on corporate governance matters. Garrett also practices in employment law, copyright and trademark law, and civil litigation. Though industry agnostic, Garrett has particular experience representing medical, dental, veterinary, and chiropractic practices in various business transactions, transitions, and the structuring of related management service organizations (MSOs).
www.linkedin/in/michaelbmiller I am an experienced contracts professional having practiced nearly 3 decades in the areas of corporate, mergers and acquisitions, technology, start-up, intellectual property, real estate, employment law as well as informal dispute resolution. I enjoy providing a cost effective, high quality, timely solution with patience and empathy regarding client needs. I graduated from NYU Law School and attended Rutgers College and the London School of Economics as an undergraduate. I have worked at top Wall Street firms, top regional firms and have long term experience in my own practice. I would welcome the opportunity to be of service to you as a trusted fiduciary. In 2022 and 2023, I was the top ranked attorney on the Contract Counsel site based upon number of clients, quality of work and number of 5 Star reviews.
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I worked in the Intellectual Property Group at Fidelity Investments for almost 25 years, including managing the group from 2017-2021. I managed and developed the same high-performing group of three legal professionals from 2007-2021. Early in my career at Fidelity, I focused primarily on trademark matters, including trademark searching and clearance, as well as enforcement of trademark rights. In fact, I created Fidelity's trademark and brand protection programs and advanced them over more than two decades, eventually bringing the domestic trademark portfolio in-house and realizing savings of well over $2 million in outside counsel expenses for searching, prosecution and maintenance of US registrations from 2008-2021. Fidelity put me through law school, and I continued working full time while attending law school at night over four years. Upon graduation and passing the bar in 2006, I was promoted to an attorney position effective 1/1/2007. My practice broadened, and I began working on more transactional matters. I became a key transactional attorney for major technology groups and businesses within Fidelity, and negotiated numerous mission critical tech deals, transforming Fidelity's business. I provided transactional and IP support for Fidelity's software development and services affiliate in Ireland, and worked extensively with many of Fidelity's other foreign affiliates. Fidelity's General Counsel handpicked me to provide transactional and IP support to a new business initiative in 2017. That initiative became fintech startup Akoya, LLC, a paradigm-shifting business that enables secure, customer-controlled sharing of personal financial information between financial institutions and service providers. I developed template agreements between Akoya and data providers (financial institutions) and also between Akoya and data recipients (e.g. tax preparation services and financial advisors). Akoya had matured enough to be spun out by Fidelity in early 2020 to a consortium of financial services companies. In 2021, Fidelity offered a voluntary buyout to long-tenured associates, and following the pandemic, coupled with the financial and health benefits included in the package, it was an offer I could not refuse. Days later, my elderly father-in-law broke his hip, and my wife and I became his primary caregivers. It's been a blessing that I was able to contribute to his care and alleviate some of the burden on my wife. He is now in a long-term care facility, and I am eager to return to work as in-house counsel, whether on a contract basis, part time or full time. I did work briefly as a sole practitioner in 2021 and 2022, primarily helping friends, family and pro bono clients with NDAs, business formation issues, consulting agreements and license agreements. From August 2022 - July 2023, I was on the staff of Flex by Fenwick, an in-house counsel on demand business that is a subsidiary of the IP firm Fenwick & West, but did not get any engagements. My wife and I have volunteered for over a year with a dog rescue, Last Hope K9 Rescue, and have fostered several dogs, and adopted two of them!
