GitLaw makes it simple to share your legal documents and contribute to the open-source legal community. Adding a new file to a repository ensures that your work becomes part of the collaborative effort to improve access to legal resources. Here’s a step-by-step guide to adding a new file to GitLaw.

Why Add a New File?

Adding a new file allows you to:

1. Share Knowledge: Contribute legal document templates or guides that others can use and learn from.
2. Fill Gaps: Add documents that might be missing from GitLaw, like templates for types of agreements, new jurisdictions or new approaches.
3. Collaborate: Receive feedback and improvements from the GitLaw community to make your document even better.

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Steps to Add a New File to GitLaw

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Step 1: Login or Create a new account

1. Create your account: Log in to your GitLaw account or go to GitLaw.co and click Sign Up. By signing up you are agreeing to GitLaw’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.‍
2. Create your profile: Add your name and a bio / details about your law firm. These details will be displayed to users of GitLaw when they wish to learn more about who shared the document. Some users may wish to contact you for paid support of their legal projects - if you wish to receive such contact - add your contact details.

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Step 2: Navigate to the Repository

1. Create a new  repository where you want to add the new file (e.g., "Startup Legal Documents") or go to an existing repository. Click "+ New Repository" in the top menu bar.
2. Give your repository a name and description. Try to choose a name that is self explanatory and easy to find. The repository will be visible in the URL (folder) of where your documents will be shared on GitLaw.
3. Choose "Public". This means that every document you share in this folder will be published publicly on GitLaw. If you wish, you can instead start in a private mode and later make the repository public, or later copy documents from the private repository into a public one.

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Step 3: Start Adding a New File and content

1. In the repository, click the Add File button, typically found at the top-right corner of the file browser. Under the "Files" tab, either upload your .docx file or click "+ Create document" which creates a new document in GitLaw's editor.
2. Uploading a .docx:
   1. Once you're inside your repository - under the "Files" tab click "Upload Documents"
   2. Directly above the file, click the "Edit" file and choose "Convert to GitLaw Document"
   3. Your file is now a GitLaw document which you can edit in the GitLaw editor and add template fields to.
3. Write the document
   1. Click "Create Document". From here you can write directly into the online editor.
   2. You can  add meta data on the "metadata" tab - select which jurisidiction the document is designed for.
   3. Under the "Outline" section you'll see the headers you select in text formatting create a document navigation automatically.
   4. Under "template" you can add template fields which make the document faster for users to fill out.

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Step 4: Provide a Description

1. Add a ReadMe file which will act as the landing page for your repository.
2. Add a description of your file in the "Commit Message" field.
   • Example: “Added a template for an Independent Contractor Agreement for startups.”
3. You can also include optional notes about the file’s purpose or any specific jurisdictions it’s intended for.

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Best Practices for Adding Files

• Use Clear Names: Ensure file names are descriptive and follow a consistent naming convention.
• Format Consistently: Use GitLaw’s preferred formatting styles, such as Markdown for text documents or PDFs for finalized templates.
• Review Content: Double-check your document for accuracy, typos, and adherence to legal standards.

That's it! Any document you add to GitLaw publicly will beentirely free to use for users. Unless you state it in the repository - all work is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0 to users.

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Contribute Regularly

Your contributions make GitLaw more valuable to the community. Whether you’re adding an entirely new document or improving an existing one, your efforts help build a better resource for everyone.

Start sharing your legal knowledge today by adding files to GitLaw repositories!

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