How to find low-cost legal help to review a contract I received?

Post date: 2019-11-20 09:03:01

I'm a writer and the company that I worked for remotely (HQ was in NYC, I am in MI) for 15 years was sold in 2018. I was let go, and since then have been semi-paying the bills via freelance work. I pitched an idea to a company (originally an idea for a documentary film), and after several revisions, I was sent a contract. But I need help in translating all the legal-speak, and I don't have tons of money to spend on an attorney at this point.

One of the freelancers (I'll call him C) I'd met at a conference went on to work for a documentary film company (a small upstart, from what I could tell). He sent a request via Twitter for story ideas, and I submitted a pitch. C liked the idea and asked for more info, sources, etc. Months passed, and the company C worked for was purchased by another company (the purchasing company stills appears to be something not too many steps above an upstart) but he still expressed interest in my story idea. After a few revisions he and his boss were both excited about my story idea and I was emailed a contract.

I know I don't really have any sort of a bargaining position - I'm a newbie, so is the company (apparently) - but before I sign the contract I'd feel more comfortable if a legal professional reviewed it. I don't have a lot of ready cash at the moment, and I realize that "you get what you pay for", but it still seems to me that someone with more legal knowledge than I should review the contract before I sign it.

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