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Legal · Terms & Conditions

The fine print,
made readable.

Plain-English terms, not a wall of legalese. Here is exactly what you are agreeing to when you use this site or work with us, spelled out clearly.

Effective Sep 2026 Fair by design No surprise fees Cancel anytime
Read the terms See what we promise
At A Glance

The terms, boiled down.

The full terms are below if you want the detail. This is the part that actually matters day to day.

What you’re agreeing to

By using our site or hiring us, you accept the terms below. No fine-print traps.

What we promise

Clear scope, fair pricing, and work that’s actually yours once it’s paid for.

What’s off-limits

Copying our brand, reselling our templates, or misusing content you don’t own.

How disputes get handled

A conversation first, mediation second, California law if it ever goes further.

Last updated: September 1, 2026 · Effective for theemcreative.studio and every project we take on

The EM Creative Studio (“we,” “us,” “our”) wrote these terms in plain language on purpose. They cover how you can use this site and what to expect when you work with us on a project. By using theemcreative.studio or engaging our services, you’re agreeing to what’s below.

1 Acceptance of Terms

By using theemcreative.studio or engaging The EM Creative Studio for any project, you agree to these terms. If you’re accepting on behalf of a company, you’re confirming you have the authority to bind that company to them. If you don’t agree, please don’t use the site or engage our services.

2 Using Our Site & Services

You’re welcome to browse, share, and reference anything on this site. A few ground rules keep it usable for everyone:

  • Lawful use only. Don’t use the site to violate any law, infringe on anyone’s rights, or distribute harmful code.
  • No scraping or bulk harvesting of content, pricing, or contact details without our written permission.
  • Accurate information. When you fill out a form or start a project, the details you give us should be true and current.

We can suspend access for anyone who violates these terms, without prior notice.

3 Intellectual Property

Unless a signed agreement says otherwise, everything on this site, design, copy, code, photography, the EM Creative Studio name and crown mark, belongs to us or our licensors.

  • Our brand & site. You may not copy, resell, or repurpose our website design, templates, or branding as your own.
  • Case studies & portfolio work. Client projects shown here are shared with permission and remain subject to the ownership terms of that specific engagement.
  • Your final deliverables. Once a project is paid in full, ownership of the specific deliverables outlined in your agreement transfers to you, as described in Payment, Fees & Deposits below.
We retain the right to display finished work in our portfolio and marketing, unless your contract includes a confidentiality clause saying otherwise.

4 Client Content & Submissions

When you send us content, logos, copy, images, brand assets, feedback, for a project, you’re confirming you own it or have the rights to use it, and you’re giving us permission to use it solely to complete your project.

  • You’re responsible for anything you provide, including making sure it doesn’t infringe on someone else’s rights.
  • We may lightly edit, resize, or format content you provide as needed to fit a design, without changing its substance.
  • We won’t use your content for anything outside your project without asking first.

5 Payment, Fees & Deposits

Pricing and payment schedules are set out in your individual project agreement or invoice. In general:

  • Deposits. Most projects begin with a deposit, typically 50%, to reserve our time and cover initial work.
  • Remaining balance. The final balance is due on delivery, unless your agreement states otherwise.
  • Late payments. Invoices unpaid after 14 days may pause active work and, we’d rather that never happen, may accrue a reasonable late fee as noted on the invoice.
  • Third-party costs. Stock assets, fonts, hosting, or plugins purchased on your behalf are billed separately or added to your invoice.

6 Cancellations & Refunds

We’d rather a project not work out than force it, so here’s how cancellation works:

  • Before work begins. Deposits are refundable in full if cancelled before any work has started.
  • After work begins. Deposits become non-refundable once work is underway, since they cover time already spent; you’ll be billed only for work completed beyond that.
  • Our cancellation. If we need to cancel a project, we’ll refund any amount paid for work not yet delivered.

To cancel, just tell us in writing, email is fine.

7 Disclaimers & Warranties

This site and our services are provided “as is.” We work hard to make sure everything is accurate, functional, and on-brand, but we don’t guarantee the site will be error-free or uninterrupted, or that any project outcome, traffic, leads, sales, will match expectations, since results depend on many factors outside our control.

We make no warranties, express or implied, beyond what’s explicitly stated in your project agreement.

8 Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, The EM Creative Studio is not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including lost profits or data, arising from your use of this site or our services.

Our total liability for any claim related to a project is capped at the total amount you paid us for that specific project.

9 Governing Law & Disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute we can’t resolve directly will first go through good-faith mediation before either party pursues formal action, in Los Angeles County, California.

10 Changes To These Terms

We may update these terms as our services evolve. We’ll update the “last updated” date above when we do, and for any change that meaningfully affects an active client agreement, we’ll reach out directly before it takes effect.

11 Contact Us

Questions about these terms, or about a specific agreement? Reach us directly:

How This Works

A partnership, spelled out.

Contracts read better as a two-way street. Here’s the shorthand version of what each of us signs up for.

We Commit To

Our side of the deal

  • A written scope before any work begins, so there are no surprises.
  • On-time delivery, or proactive notice the moment a date’s at risk.
  • Full ownership of your final deliverables once the invoice is paid.
  • Transparent pricing: no hidden fees, no scope creep without a conversation first.

We Ask Of You

Your side of the deal

  • Feedback and approvals within the window we agree on together.
  • Brand assets, copy, and access provided when the project needs them.
  • Deliverables used within the license terms in your agreement.
  • Invoices settled on the schedule laid out in your contract.
50%
Typical deposit to begin a project
14 days
Grace period on an invoice
0
Hidden fees, ever
CA
Governing state of law
Common Questions

A few things people actually ask.

If your question isn’t here, it’s one email away.

Yes, anytime, in writing. Deposits already spent on work in progress aren’t refundable, but you’ll only be billed for work completed beyond that point. See Cancellations & Refunds for the full breakdown.

Invoices unpaid after 14 days may pause active work until the balance is settled. A reasonable late fee may apply, as noted on your invoice. We’ll always reach out before pausing anything.

You do, once your invoice is paid in full. Until then, ownership stays with us. We also reserve the right to feature finished work in our portfolio, unless your agreement says otherwise.

We handle it as a conversation first, always. If a formal dispute is ever necessary, these terms call for good-faith mediation in Los Angeles County under California law before anything more formal.

Still Have Questions

A real person will answer.

Whatever it is, a terms question or something else entirely, reach out and someone on our small team will get back to you directly.

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