Partnership Agreement with MNC: Should I Request a Hard Copy for Clarity?

We have tied up with an MNC company. They have provided us with terms and conditions via email. My question is, do I need to ask them for a hard copy as well? Please share the process of agreement. Please help me in this regard; it's urgent.

Thank you.

I hope the attached file may be helpful to you.

Thank you.

Hi, hope the attached file may be helpful to you. Thank you, Sandeep. My query is, do I need to ask the company to provide me with a hard copy of the agreement on their letterhead? I received the requirements and terms and conditions via email only from the Senior HR. Is email sufficient or not?

It is not necessary to have a hard copy of the agreement if both parties have a mutual understanding. However, for future reference, it is required to have a hard copy if both parties have mutually signed it. In case a dispute arises in the future, a judicially signed copy must be available for your support.

On the other hand, if you leave the company and another person takes your place, having a hard copy will also be beneficial.

In my opinion, you should take a hard copy and store it in your files to prevent any future disputes.

Regards,
Sandeep Tomar

Ideally, the agreement should be on notarized stamp paper, signed by an authorized signatory to enforce legal sanctity to the understanding. However, industry practices vary a lot. In some cases, just an MOU is also sufficient to proceed with the hiring task. Beware, as there are times when even MNCs do not have the budget to hire through consultants, and you may end up fulfilling the Hiring KRA of the respective HR only at the end of the day.

You may choose to base your decision on the business merit of the case or insist on a proper agreement. It is very unlikely that an MNC will refuse unless the representing executive has a different agenda in mind.

Regards, SA