What a signature image really is
A signature image, whether drawn on a screen or cut from a scan, is easy to copy and paste into any document. That is why the image itself proves little: it shows what the signature looks like but does not confirm that this particular person placed it or that the text was not changed afterwards. This is what sets it apart from an electronic signature that technically links the signer to a specific version of the document.
Russian law, for example, distinguishes simple, advanced and qualified electronic signatures, and for documents in simple written form it allows a facsimile or another substitute for a handwritten signature where the law or an agreement between the parties provides for it. Many other countries also recognise electronic signatures, but their evidential weight depends on how the signing was done and on the circumstances.
When it usually works
A pasted signature image rarely causes problems in everyday deals between parties who know each other, if the contract or a separate agreement says that the parties accept documents signed this way and sent from specified email addresses. A dispute about authenticity then comes down to a simple question: was the message sent from the agreed address. If such a clause is already in a signed framework agreement, later orders, specifications and amendments can refer to it.
Later conduct helps too. If a party received the signed contract, started work, paid an invoice or signed an acceptance certificate, it is harder for them to claim the contract was never concluded. Keep the correspondence in which the document was sent and confirmed.
When an image is not enough
An image is not suitable when the law requires a special form: notarisation, state registration, a qualified electronic signature for filings with public authorities, or certain kinds of employment and HR documents. Do not rely on it for large deals either, if the other party is unfamiliar or may later deny taking part. Banks, public bodies and many counterparties have their own requirements and may simply reject such a document.
The risk is also higher when the signature image is placed not by the signer but by someone else on their behalf without a written mandate. In a dispute you would have to prove that the person agreed to the text.
If someone sends you a contract signed with an image
Weigh how important the deal is. Check that the file came from the address given in the contract or known from earlier correspondence, that the signer has authority, and that the text matches the agreed version: compare the whole document with the latest draft, not just the first and last pages. Reply with a message confirming that you received the signed copy. For significant deals ask for the original or for signing with an electronic signature.
How to reduce dispute risk: a checklist
Add a clause on exchanging documents by email or through an agreed service and list the parties' addresses. Send the final version as a PDF so the text cannot change unnoticed. Check that the signer is authorised to sign for the company. Keep messages with attachments and delivery confirmations. Agree to exchange originals with handwritten signatures if the document matters. For documents with a mandatory form, find out in advance which signing method is required and use it.
How to do this in Legal
In JEEKSSHIRE 24 | Legal you draw a signature with a mouse or trackpad in one of three colours, can undo a stroke or clear the field, then place the signature on the right page and resize it; the background stays transparent. To keep the original pages, open a PDF of up to 15 MB in original PDF mode, including a scan without recognised text. This is a graphic image of a handwritten signature, not a qualified electronic signature: Legal does not verify the signer's identity and does not by itself make the document legally binding. The effect of such a signature depends on the parties' agreement and the applicable law, so for documents with a special form choose an appropriate signing method.