Design Terms

Studio Hours & Correspondence

We are available via email and for meeting requests Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Fridays from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern time. Our normal response time is one business day, though our response time may vary. We do not work on weekends or holidays. 

Email and video meetings are the primary means of communication accepted for our work together. We do not communicate via mobile phone, text message, social media, or instant/private messaging.

Delayed, Suspended and Abandoned Projects:

Projects may stall while we wait for assets, information, feedback, or approvals from you. During delays, we will work on other projects to use our time efficiently.

• Delayed: If we don’t receive requested items within 5 business days, your project may be moved to the back of our queue. Work will resume when we receive the necessary items and our schedule allows.

• Suspended: If we don’t receive requested items within 45 days without reasonable cause, we will invoice the remaining balance, due upon receipt. Work will not resume until (1) all required items are provided and (2) the balance is paid in full.

• Abandoned: If we don’t receive requested items within 90 days, all payments made will be forfeited.

Rush Projects:

Projects requiring a “Rush” will typically incur at least a 50% markup of the total project cost. This increase is necessary to cover the overtime and additional costs incurred to complete your project in the time frame you require.

Change Order:

It is our experience that changes to the scope of work often occur during a project. These changes usually require additional costs and time. To allow for these change requests, we will provide a separate scope of work for the changes you request and a cost for these changes. When you approve this scope and cost, the amount will, at our discretion, be payable immediately or on the final project invoice.

Current Hourly Rate:

Work will be billed at the current rate of $95 / hour unless specified otherwise within a separate agreement, per project.

Revision Policy

Clients are entitled to two rounds of revisions per design stage (e.g., logo or webpage). Additional revisions will be billed at $95 per round.

Turnaround Time

Timelines vary depending on project complexity, revisions, and client responsiveness. Most projects are completed within 4–8 weeks, but an estimated timeline will be provided upon booking.

Outside Fees & Pricing

Clients are responsible for additional fees such as:

• Squarespace Website Hosting: Typically $23–$36/month

• Domain Registration: Typically $10–$20/year

• Any third-party integrations or tools

Please note that all fees associated with using Squarespace as your website platform are your responsibility.

Invoice Schedule:

• Hourly, ongoing engagements: Monthly invoices will be sent with detailed hourly recaps via Quickbooks. 

• Flat fee engagements: Milestone invoices will be sent at each phase as outlined in your contract.

• Payment to us can be made using check, ACH, or major credit card with an associated % fee depending on your credit card selection. 

• You agree to pay the amount owed within 15 days of receiving the invoice. Payment after that date will incur a late fee of 2% per month on the outstanding amount.

Termination:

This contract is ongoing until the work is completed. Either party may end this contract for any reason by sending an email or letter to the other party, informing the recipient that the sender is ending the contract and that the contract will end in 15 days. The contract officially ends once that time has passed. The party that is ending the contract must provide notice. We must immediately stop working as soon as it receives this notice, unless the notice says otherwise. You will pay us for the work done up until when the contract ends and will reimburse us for any agreed-upon, non-cancellable expenses.

If we elect to terminate a project, we will create an estimate of the percentage of the scope of work that has been completed. If the percentage of work completed is less than the percentage of the project that has been paid, we will issue a refund for the difference. If the percentage of the project that has been completed is more than the percentage of the project that has been paid, an invoice will be issued for the difference. 

Assets for a terminated project will be delivered to the client when the client’s account reaches a zero balance.

Client Responsibility for Accuracy

Clients are responsible for reviewing all website content, contact details, and form functionality before and after launch. Meg Leonard Co. is not liable for errors that go unreported post-launch. Any necessary corrections requested after launch will be billed at standard rates.

Error Correction Policy

If Meg Leonard Co. is responsible for an error, corrections will be made at no additional cost if reported within 14 days of launch. After this period, corrections will be considered post-launch edits and billed accordingly. Errors do not entitle the client to additional compensation beyond corrections or, in rare cases, a partial refund at our discretion.

Intellectual Property Rights:

Ownership & License

• Meg Leonard Co. retains full ownership of all original design work created under this agreement, including but not limited to logos, brand assets, marketing materials, website graphics, and any other visual content.

• Upon full payment, the Client is granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable, perpetual license to use the final design deliverables for their business purposes. This license does not include the right to resell, modify for resale, or transfer ownership.

• The Client does not own the underlying design files, templates, or processes used in creating the final work.

Portfolio & Promotional Use

• Meg Leonard Co. retains the right to display the final work in its portfolio, website, and marketing materials unless the Client requests otherwise in writing before project commencement.

Purchase of Intellectual Property (Optional)

• If the Client wishes to purchase full intellectual property rights, including exclusive ownership of the design, a separate IP buyout fee will be negotiated. Upon payment of the agreed buyout fee, Meg Leonard Co. will transfer full ownership and provide all source files.

Pre-Existing & Third-Party Materials

• Any pre-existing design elements, fonts, stock images, or third-party assets incorporated into the project remain the property of their original creators and are subject to their respective license agreements.

• If licensing fees apply, the Client will be responsible for purchasing the appropriate licenses.

The Use of Third-Party Assets

By providing any assets such as text, images, artwork or any other elements to us, you guarantee that they are either owned by you or that you have secured permission from the owner to use them. You agree to protect us from any claim by a third party that the assets you supplied to us are their intellectual property.

We guarantee that all elements of the work we deliver to you are either owned by us or that we have obtained appropriate permission from the owner to provide them to you.

Securing the appropriate licenses for photography that you provide to us to use is your responsibility. You assume the full risk of liability for the use of all images. If you are in doubt of the licensing status of an image, contact the original artist before providing it for us to use in your design project.

We often utilize royalty-free images obtained from stock photo websites. The cost for licensing this stock photography is not included in the proposal unless specifically itemized. We will secure your approval before purchasing any stock photography. Stock photo charges are typically billed on the final project invoice.

Font Licensing

Any fonts used in branding or web design may require a commercial license for continued use. Clients are responsible for purchasing their own font licenses if needed. Meg Leonard Co. will provide links to purchase the necessary font files but will not distribute or include licensed fonts directly in project deliverables.

Confidentiality & Account Access

All communication and materials exchanged between Meg Leonard Co. and the client are confidential and may not be shared without written consent. During the project, temporary access to client accounts may be required, but all login credentials will be handled securely and never shared.

Printed Materials Disclaimer

Meg Leonard Co. is not responsible for printing quality and does not offer refunds for printed materials.

Limitation of Liability

Meg Leonard Co. is not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including but not limited to lost profits, lost business opportunities, or reputational harm arising from the use of our services. While we strive for accuracy, clients are responsible for verifying all content before and after launch.

Agreement

By submitting a project request and paying the deposit, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these design terms.