Article

Do You Need Source Code Escrow? (Probably Not, But Here's When You Do)

Captain Pragmatic Free Intermediate

The most practical piece on this list: it tells you to own the repository from day one, set up GitHub in your business name, and add the developer as a collaborator rather than the reverse. It compares this free approach against expensive escrow and shows why direct access beats insurance. Exactly the operational habit that protects you if a developer disappears.

  • Create the repo and cloud accounts in your name, add the dev as collaborator.
  • Require the developer to work in your repo, not their personal account.
  • Verify your access on a schedule so you are never locked out.
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The question it answers

  1. How do I make sure I actually own the code my freelancer writes?

Read with it

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  2. This is the plain-English India explainer that maps exactly to your problem: it walks through Section 17(c) (employees vest in... Khurana & Khurana Article · 10 min read Copyright Ownership in Employment and Freelance Contracts: Key Legal Insights Khurana & Khurana, Advocates and IP Attorneys
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  5. Cooley is the law firm behind a huge share of venture-backed startups, and this short piece tells you exactly why your company... Cooley GO Article What You Need in Your Contractor Agreements Cooley LLP
  6. A plain founder-level explainer from a top startup law firm on why the person who writes the code owns it by default, and what... WilmerHale Launch Article Who Owns Your IP WilmerHale
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