Paying for work does not make you the owner of it.
Copyright in what a contractor, agency or freelancer creates stays with them unless it is assigned to you in writing and signed. The same applies to work created before a company was incorporated, and to anything a founder built personally and then used in the business.
Businesses usually discover this during an investment round or a sale, when a buyer’s lawyer asks for the chain of title and there is not one. Fixing it early is simple; fixing it late means going back to people who now have leverage.
An assignment transfers ownership of intellectual property from one party to another.
Typical uses include:
- contractor, agency and freelancer work, including software and design;
- founders assigning pre-incorporation IP into the company;
- employees, where the position needs putting beyond doubt;
- group reorganisations and intra-group transfers; and
- assignments as part of a business or asset sale.
We draft assignments that actually transfer ownership, are properly executed, covering the right rights, dealing with moral rights and future works, and supported by consideration. And we look both ways; if you are the one being asked to assign, we make sure you are not handing over your reusable know-how along with the deliverables.
Our Approach
Legal advice that makes running and growing your business easier.
We start with your business, not the law.
Before we open a document, we want to understand what you are trying to do commercially. The legal answer is only useful if it serves that.
We get to the point.
You get a clear view of what matters and what does not, in plain English, with the real risks separated from the noise.
We give you an answer.
Not a menu of options and a shrug. We tell you what we would do, why, and where there is a genuine judgment call for you to make.
We stay available.
Whether you work with us on a single project or on a subscription, we are here for the follow-up question. We would always rather you asked.
Ways of working together
Fixed-fee projects
A single, defined piece of work for an agreed fixed fee, communicated before we engage. Reviewing a contract, drafting your terms, handling a negotiation.
No surprises and no hidden fees
Flagship Subscription
Ares Access
Ongoing support on a fixed monthly subscription, for businesses that need commercial legal input regularly rather than as the occasional one-off.
- Dedicated lawyer
- Fixed monthly fees
- Commercial advice on demand
From £500 plus VAT per month
Legal Health Check
Fixed fee of £2,000 plus VAT
Any questions?
Phone: 02382 420035
