There are a number of tactics to make sure NDAs you sign are reasonable:
1. If possible, use your own. This prevents you from having to pay your lawyer to review Yet Another NDA.
2. Ask for the bidirectional NDA instead of the unidirectional one most companies start with. A 2-way NDA is usually more reasonable because both parties are bound by it so no one wants to screw themselves over.
3. Work out the NDA separate from any contract terms. An NDA should not establish a business relationship.
4. Always ALWAYS have an expiration date, both of the NDA and any confidential information disclosed under it. This way you only have to keep track of the last N years of NDAs, not infinity. Also, this limits the risk of someone unreasonable coming to power in a company in the future and using the NDA against you. Life changes, nothing should last forever.
1. If possible, use your own. This prevents you from having to pay your lawyer to review Yet Another NDA.
2. Ask for the bidirectional NDA instead of the unidirectional one most companies start with. A 2-way NDA is usually more reasonable because both parties are bound by it so no one wants to screw themselves over.
3. Work out the NDA separate from any contract terms. An NDA should not establish a business relationship.
4. Always ALWAYS have an expiration date, both of the NDA and any confidential information disclosed under it. This way you only have to keep track of the last N years of NDAs, not infinity. Also, this limits the risk of someone unreasonable coming to power in a company in the future and using the NDA against you. Life changes, nothing should last forever.