Create a bespoke document in minutes,聽or upload and review your own.
Get your first 2 documents free
Your data doesn't train Genie's AI
You keep IP ownership聽of your information
Non-Disclosure Agreement
I need a non-disclosure agreement to protect confidential information shared with a potential business partner during preliminary discussions, ensuring that any proprietary data, trade secrets, and sensitive business strategies are not disclosed to third parties for a period of 3 years.
What is a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
A Non-Disclosure Agreement is a legally binding contract that keeps sensitive information private. When you share business secrets, client data, or confidential details with employees or business partners, this agreement makes sure they can't leak or misuse that information.
Under Canadian contract law, these agreements protect trade secrets, financial data, and intellectual property. Breaking an NDA can lead to serious legal consequences, including court orders to stop sharing information and financial damages. Most Canadian businesses use NDAs during negotiations, hiring, and partnerships to create clear expectations about confidentiality.
When should you use a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
Use a Non-Disclosure Agreement before sharing sensitive business information with anyone outside your core team. This includes hiring new employees, exploring potential partnerships, discussing merger opportunities, or bringing in contractors. The agreement needs to be signed before any confidential details are revealed.
Canadian businesses commonly need NDAs when pitching ideas to investors, negotiating with suppliers, or working with technology partners. They're essential for protecting trade secrets, customer data, and proprietary processes. Getting an NDA in place early creates clear expectations and gives you legal protection if confidential information gets misused.
What are the different types of Non-Disclosure Agreement?
- NDA For Contractors: Protects company information when working with independent professionals, focusing on project-specific confidentiality.
- NDA Financial Services: Specialized for handling sensitive financial data, client information, and investment strategies.
- NDA For Website Development: Safeguards technical specifications, design assets, and client data during web projects.
- NDA For Marketing Agency: Covers brand strategies, campaign details, and customer insights in marketing collaborations.
- NDA For Software Development: Protects source code, development methodologies, and technical specifications in software projects.
Who should typically use a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
- Business Owners: Often initiate Non-Disclosure Agreements to protect company secrets, intellectual property, and strategic plans when working with others.
- Employees: Sign NDAs as part of their employment contracts, agreeing to keep company information confidential during and after employment.
- Contractors and Consultants: Required to sign NDAs before accessing sensitive client information or internal systems.
- Investors and Financial Partners: Review confidential financial data during due diligence, requiring NDAs before detailed discussions.
- Legal Counsel: Draft and review agreements to ensure they're enforceable under Canadian law and protect their clients' interests.
How do you write a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
- Identify Parties: Gather full legal names and addresses of all organizations and individuals who will sign the agreement.
- Define Scope: List specific confidential information to be protected, including trade secrets, client data, or business processes.
- Set Duration: Decide how long the confidentiality obligations will last after the agreement ends.
- Outline Permissions: Specify who can access the information and under what circumstances.
- Consider Exceptions: Note any public information or legally required disclosures that won't be covered.
- Use Our Platform: Generate a customized, legally sound NDA that includes all required elements for Canadian compliance.
What should be included in a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
- Party Details: Full legal names, addresses, and roles of all parties involved in the agreement.
- Definition Section: Clear explanation of what constitutes confidential information under Canadian law.
- Scope of Confidentiality: Specific obligations and permitted uses of the protected information.
- Duration Clause: Time period for confidentiality obligations and any survival terms.
- Return of Information: Requirements for handling or destroying confidential materials after agreement ends.
- Breach Consequences: Remedies and enforcement options under Canadian contract law.
- Governing Law: Specification of applicable provincial or federal jurisdiction.
- Signature Block: Space for dated signatures, names, and titles of authorized representatives.
What's the difference between a Non-Disclosure Agreement and a Non-Compete Agreement?
A Non-Disclosure Agreement differs significantly from a Non-Compete Agreement in both scope and purpose. While both protect business interests, they serve distinct legal functions in Canadian business law.
- Primary Focus: NDAs protect confidential information from being shared, while non-compete agreements prevent someone from competing with your business in a specific market or area.
- Duration and Scope: NDAs typically remain active indefinitely for specific information, but non-compete agreements must have reasonable time limits and geographic boundaries to be enforceable in Canada.
- Legal Enforcement: Courts generally favor enforcing NDAs, while non-compete agreements face stricter scrutiny and must prove they don't unfairly restrict someone's ability to earn a living.
- Common Usage: NDAs are routinely used with employees, contractors, and business partners. Non-compete agreements are mainly reserved for key employees or business sales.
Download our whitepaper on the future of AI in Legal
骋别苍颈别鈥檚 Security Promise
Genie is the safest place to draft. Here鈥檚 how we prioritise your privacy and security.
Your documents are private:
We do not train on your data; 骋别苍颈别鈥檚 AI improves independently
All data stored on Genie is private to your organisation
Your documents are protected:
Your documents are protected by ultra-secure 256-bit encryption
Our bank-grade security infrastructure undergoes regular external audits
We are ISO27001 certified, so your data is secure
Organizational security
You retain IP ownership of your documents
You have full control over your data and who gets to see it
Innovation in privacy:
Genie partnered with the Computational Privacy Department at Imperial College London
Together, we ran a 拢1 million research project on privacy and anonymity in legal contracts
Want to know more?
Visit our for more details and real-time security updates.
Read our Privacy Policy.