What is a release and waiver?

A release and waiver is a document where one party agrees to give up their right to make certain legal claims against the other. For freelancers, it's most commonly used when a project is complete and you want formal confirmation that the client has no outstanding claims against you.

When should you use one?

At the end of a project - especially if there were disagreements during the process, or if the scope changed significantly. It's also useful when settling a dispute, providing a refund, or ending an engagement early.

What's included

Parties and context - who's involved and a brief description of the engagement being released.

Release clause - the formal statement that the releasing party gives up their right to make claims related to the engagement.

Scope of release - what's being released and what's not. Be specific about which claims are covered.

Consideration - what's being exchanged. A release usually needs something in return - final payment, a refund, or delivery of outstanding work.

Mutual or one-way - whether both parties release each other or just one party is releasing claims.

Acknowledgement - the releasing party confirms they understand what they're giving up and are signing voluntarily.