Hello Fellow Nerds!
I founded Contract Nerds
in 2020 as a pandemic passion project. What started as one LinkedIn post about contracts, quickly grew into a community and media platform all about contracts for lawyers and contracts professionals around the world. Our mission is to inspire better contracts through quality content, connection, and community. To achieve this, we create and share free resources about contracts through our website, webinars, LinkedIn page, and newsletter. With 21,000 subscribers and a reach of over 50,000 fellow Contract Nerds, we are considered a leading voice in the contracts space.
I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built together these last five years.
And today, I have some big news to share about our next chapter!
The News
Having just signed the most important contract of my life, I’m beyond excited to share that Contract Nerds has been acquired by Docusign – Intelligent Agreement Management.
As I typed that sentence, I had to give myself a moment to pause and exhale. This is one of those moments that feels both surreal and exactly right, like everything has been building up to this.
Here’s the thing: I’ve known for a while that an acquisition would be the best path forward for Contract Nerds. Let me explain.
I Am Merely a Steward (You Are the Glue)
When I launched Contract Nerds five years ago, I had nothing but time. Now, not only do I have a full-time job as an in-house attorney, I also have this wonderful community that somehow grew into a real business, and two toddlers who think nap time is merely a suggestion.
Over the years, I have done my best to grow this community in size, value, and impact while remaining true to our mission. But I was never able to accomplish everything on my to-do list because my time was so limited. As the community took on a vibrant life of its own, it became clear that Contract Nerds deserved a leader with more resources, more time, and more expertise to help it reach its full potential.
That’s when it clicked. The truth is that Contract Nerds was never about me. It was about all of you—this incredible community of brilliant people who believe contracts can be better, together.
I am not the glue holding this community together; I am merely a steward.
And it is time to pass the baton to a successor who can take us to the next level.
I’ve been incredibly selective about this transition because Contract Nerds isn’t just a business to me—it’s my third child (and arguably the best behaved one). So I looked for a steward who would not only maintain what we’ve built, but who would also love it forward.
Docusign is the perfect fit.
Professional Soulmates Do Exist
Contract Nerds and Docusign have the kind of relationship that makes you believe in professional soulmates.
This story begins with Lexion, who is now a part of Docusign.
In 2021, Lexion stepped up as our very first sponsor. Jessica Nguyen, their general counsel at the time, didn’t just write a check; she became a collaborator, a co-presenter, a genuine champion of our mission.
In 2023, when we launched our webinar program, Jessica was again our first sponsor, adding her trademark humor and wit to contracts that we never knew we needed and now can’t live without.
In 2024, when Lexion was acquired by Docusign, Jessica transitioned to Deputy General Counsel and continued that support seamlessly. She is an inspiring thought leader, contracts expert, and community champion who is loved and respected by all.
When I asked Jessica why she wanted to champion this next chapter, she said:
“Whoever adopts your third child should be someone who genuinely cares about this community as much as you do, like me! What I love about this community is how people from all walks of life connect through their common love of contracts.”
And that’s when I knew—really knew—that I had found our new home.
What This Means for You (More of What You Love)
Here’s what I need you to know: the heart of this community isn’t changing, only growing.
We’re completely aligned on what matters most:
- Our integrity and editorial independence will not be compromised.
- Membership and content will remain free and accessible to all.
- Our mission remains simple: making contracts better with the power of community.
Everything you love stays exactly the same:
- Monthly webinars that actually teach you something useful.
- Weekly newsletters you don’t immediately delete.
- Expert-written articles about relevant topics.
- Content that’s both substantive and enjoyable.
We’re able to add value in ways we never could before with:
- Our first community-led Steering Committee.
- In-person events and networking opportunities.
- A completely free video library of past webinar recordings.
- More templates, playbooks, checklists, and guides.
What’s Next (I’m Not Going Anywhere)
As of September 29, 2025, I’m stepping down as CEO and Jessica Nguyen is taking over as Head of Contract Nerds.
Now that I’m no longer running the day-to-day operations, I’ll be able to provide strategic support to Jessica and participate in the community as a contributor. In fact, this new quarterly column called From the Founder is my commitment to you that I’m not going anywhere. Through this column, I’ll give you updates on the state of the community from what we’ve accomplished to what we’re working on next.
We will continue to provide you with our regular programming while working on expanding our offerings. Here are a few things already in the works:
- October 1st: Jessica is launching a new “AI Contracting” category and resource hub on the website. Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter for more.
- October 20th: Come find us at the ACC Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. We’ll be the ones at the inevitably nerdy booth. Plus, we’ll be hosting an in-person Contract Nerds Networking Mixer! Follow me and Jessica on LinkedIn to learn more about where we’ll be.
- October 30th: Sign up for our free webinar on How to Draft, Review, and Negotiate Non-Standard NDA Terms with the same free CLE credits, prizes, and practical wisdom you’ve come to expect from us. Plus, all registrants will receive access to your very own Guide to AI Prompts for Contracts!
I’m so proud of all that we’ve accomplished in the last five years together, and just as confident that this next chapter is going to be even better. There is no one better suited to lead the way than Jessica.
Thank you for continuing to nerd out with us! And always remember: you’re nerdy, but you’re not alone.
Forever Your Founder,
Nada Alnajafi
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