Ethics of posting samples?

[Nancy Allison]

Wow, I'm glad I asked! I think I'll do an end-run around the problem by
creating new sample documents. They'd be modeled on the skills and standards
I've used in real projects, yet there'd be no copyright or permission
problems. I can save my hardcopy portfolio for the actual interview.
 
You know, I've always shown potential clients hard copies of my documents --
which other clients have always given me for my portfolio. But the
assumption, until quite recently, was always that I would manually hand the
documents over in an interview room somewhere, and then get them right back.
No one was thinking that I would scan pages, create a PDF, and distribute
the PDF -- thus releasing the material into the wider world. Yet, recently,
I've been asked, "Do you have a portfolio CD you can send us?" My initial
impulse was to go ahead and create such a PDF, because I did have permission
to use the material in a porftolio. BUT . . . as I say, no one was thinking
in terms of infinitely-replicable and -distributable copies.
 
So, for me, the easiest way to have complete control with no legal issues is
to create samples of *the kinds of work I do* -- not samples of actual past
projects. Those would be introductory; the real thing would be produced in
person. Assuming that the samples don't take too much time to create -- does
this seem like a good solution?