Athletes, influencers, and creatives often sign contracts early in their careers that come back to haunt them. The wrong clause can cost you not just money—but control over your name, your content, and your long-term legacy.
Here are three clauses I review most often when protecting brands for public-facing clients.
1. The “Forever License” Trap
Many contracts include a sneaky phrase like “in perpetuity” or “all media, now known or hereafter devised.” That means whoever you signed with can use your image, content, or likeness forever—even if you’ve outgrown the deal.
A good lawyer should ask you questions -- lots of them!
2. Assignment Without Notice
This clause lets the other party assign (transfer) the contract to someone else—without your approval. Suddenly, your name or brand might be associated with a different company than you signed with.
3. Ambiguous Payment Terms
Vague language like “compensation to be determined” or “based on performance” leaves you with no enforceable right to payment. You need clear metrics, timelines, and definitions in every clause.
How We Protect You:
We review and revise contracts to reflect your actual value
We create NIL, speaker, and talent agreements that respect your brand
We integrate your contracts into your estate plan, so your legacy is protected even when you’re offline market every home they list.
If you're building a personal brand, your contracts should build legacy—not regret.
Communicate, communicate, communicate
If you're building a personal brand, your contracts should build legacy—not regret.
Book a private contract review
Your lawyer should be the person who knows all of the different parts and pieces of the transaction -- and is willing to serve as the point of communication between them.