An article authored by Jason Balich and Brandon Blackwell titled "How to Take Ownership of Your Company's IP" was published in Corporate Counsel, an ALM I Law.com publication.
For most companies, IP is their most valuable asset. When IP is created, the employee or consultant who created it freely (usually) assigns it to their employer or client. But sometimes, something goes wrong. Relationships can sour. The employee or consultant can leave. Or, the person might even pass away. If any of these things happen when there is no written assignment of the IP to the company, things can get messy. Thankfully, carefully written employment agreements and consultancy agreements can cut through ambiguities to allow companies to take ownership of their own IP. This article explains how. Read more (subscription required).
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.