Someone Sent Me a Contract and Needs It Signed Today: A 15-Minute Checklist

Minute 0: pause the pressure

First, ask whether the deadline is real. A polite request for a short extension, such as until tomorrow morning, is normal and often accepted. If the other side refuses any time at all for a significant contract, that itself is a signal about the relationship.

Minutes 1 to 3: what are you agreeing to do?

Read the description of services, role, property or product. Is it specific? Are deadlines, deliverables, hours or responsibilities clear? Vague obligations are where disputes start.

Minutes 4 to 5: money

• How much, when and how are you paid, or paying?
• Are there deposits, late fees, penalties or repayment obligations?
• Can prices change?

Minutes 6 to 7: how it ends

• How long does it last, and does it renew automatically?
• Can you end it, with how much notice, and at what cost?
• What happens to money, property and work when it ends?

Minutes 8 to 10: risk clauses

• Liability: is yours unlimited, or capped?
• Indemnities: are you promising to cover the other side's losses, especially losses not caused by you?
• Warranties or guarantees you cannot control.

Minutes 11 to 12: restrictions

Look for non-competes, non-solicits, exclusivity, confidentiality and intellectual property assignments. These can affect you long after the contract ends. Search the document for "compete," "solicit," "exclusive," "assign" and "confidential."

Minutes 13 to 14: disputes and law

• Mandatory arbitration or class action waivers.
• Governing law and where disputes must be heard.
• Attorney's fees provisions.

Minute 15: decide

Choose one of three outcomes:

• Sign: the key terms are clear and acceptable.
• Ask for changes: list one to three specific changes, not a general objection.
• Wait: ask for more time or advice for high-value or high-risk contracts.

Using search to go faster

In a PDF or document, search for key words: "terminate," "renew," "liable," "indemnify," "compete," "solicit," "arbitration," "assign," "fee," "penalty." Reading those sections first gets you to the risk faster than reading from page one.

A worked example

Chloe receives a consulting agreement at 4 pm, to be signed by 6 pm. Using the checklist, she finds payment at net 60, unlimited liability, a broad IP assignment including her pre-existing tools and a 12-month non-compete. She replies at 5 pm, agreeing to sign tonight if they change three points: net 30, liability capped at fees, and her tools carved out. They accept two and agree to discuss the non-compete, and she asks for a day to review that clause alone.

Sample email asking for time

"Thanks for sending this. I am keen to move forward. I would like until [time/date] to review a few terms properly, and I will come back with any questions by then. If there is a hard deadline on your side, let me know the reason and I will prioritise."

Common mistakes

• Signing because of time pressure without reading the risk clauses.
• Raising vague concerns instead of specific changes.
• Missing restrictive covenants at the end of the document.
• Relying on verbal assurances that contradict the text.
• Not keeping a signed copy.

Quick checklist

• Is the deadline real?
• Are obligations clear?
• Are payment terms fair?
• Can you exit, and at what cost?
• Is your liability capped?
• Any non-compete, non-solicit or IP assignment?
• Arbitration or distant forum?

Key terms explained

These terms matter most under time pressure.

• Indemnity: a promise to cover another party's losses.
• Limitation of liability: a cap on damages.
• Restrictive covenant: a limit on your future activity, like a non-compete.
• Governing law: the state whose law applies.
• Arbitration: private dispute resolution instead of court.

Red flags that justify slowing down

Some signs mean you should not sign today regardless of pressure:

Severance and settlement agreements deserve special care. Some laws give employees time to consider certain releases. For example, older workers waiving age discrimination claims generally must be given at least 21 days to consider the agreement and 7 days to revoke it under federal law. A same-day deadline in that context may not even be enforceable.

• Blank spaces, missing schedules or references to documents you have not seen.
• Terms that contradict what you were told in conversation.
• A personal guarantee, unlimited liability or large upfront payment.
• A non-compete or IP assignment that reaches beyond the job or project.
• A waiver of legal rights, such as in a settlement or severance agreement.
• Pressure combined with refusal to answer questions.

Which laws give you a minimum time to review before signing?

For some documents, a same-day deadline runs into a legal minimum. The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (29 U.S.C. § 626(f)) requires that an employee asked to release age discrimination claims be advised in writing to consult a lawyer, get at least 21 days to consider the agreement, or 45 days in a group termination program, and have 7 days after signing to revoke it. You may choose to sign sooner, but the employer cannot shorten the period. In California, Government Code § 12964.5 requires an employer offering a separation agreement to tell you that you may consult a lawyer and to give you at least five business days to do so.

Restrictive covenants have their own clocks in several states. Illinois requires at least 14 calendar days to review a non-compete or non-solicit, plus written advice to consult a lawyer (820 ILCS 90/20). Massachusetts requires a new hire's non-compete to be provided with the formal offer or ten business days before the start date, whichever is earlier, and an existing employee's at least ten business days before it takes effect (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, § 24L). Oregon requires written notice at least two weeks before your first day that a non-compete is a condition of the job (ORS 653.295).

Some money terms now come with review periods too. Under California's AB 692, for agreements made from January 1, 2026, a signing bonus can be made repayable only through a separate agreement that you get at least five business days to review with a lawyer. If a document falls into one of these categories and you are pushed to sign within hours, the rush itself may undermine the terms the other side wants you to accept. Florida's CHOICE Act likewise requires at least seven days to review a covered non-compete or garden leave agreement.

Are you bound by documents a contract references but does not attach?

Contracts often incorporate other documents: policies, handbooks, terms of service, statements of work or price lists. You are usually bound by these even if you did not read them. Ask for copies of any referenced documents before signing, especially if they set prices, obligations or restrictions.

Is an electronic signature legally binding?

Electronic signatures are generally as binding as handwritten ones under federal and state law. Clicking "sign" in an e-signature platform is a real signature. Download and keep the completed copy with the audit trail. Our guide on electronic signatures explains more.

After you sign

Save a copy of the signed contract and any attachments. Calendar key dates: payment deadlines, notice periods, renewal dates and the end of any restriction. If anything was agreed verbally during the rush, confirm it by email the same day.

What if you already signed a contract under pressure?

Pressure alone rarely makes a contract void, but some contracts have cooling-off rights, and some clauses may be unenforceable under state law. Our guide on getting out of a contract you already signed explains the options.

A second example: the lease with a same-day deadline

Jamal is told an apartment will go to another applicant unless he signs the lease within two hours. Using the checklist, he confirms the rent and fees, finds automatic renewal with 60 days' notice, a clause making him responsible for all appliance repairs and a $100-a-day holdover penalty. He signs, but first emails the landlord asking to limit repairs to damage he causes, which the landlord accepts in writing. He calendars the renewal deadline. In competitive rental markets, the deadline may be real; the checklist lets him act quickly without signing blind.

When saying no is the right answer

Occasionally, the checklist will show terms you cannot accept and the other side will not change: unlimited personal liability, a restriction that would stop you working, or payment terms you cannot survive. Walking away from a bad contract is sometimes the best outcome, even under pressure.

Ask for the key terms in writing

If the other side explains a term verbally, such as "we never enforce that clause," ask them to confirm it by email or change the wording. Verbal assurances rarely override written contracts.

A faster second opinion

When time is short, a quick automated review can surface the riskiest clauses in minutes. Upload the contract to get a plain-English summary and risk flags before the deadline.