Article

Intellectual Property Assignments from Software Developers (France, Germany, UK, US)

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe · Orrick Free Advanced

If your developer sits in France, Germany, the UK, or the US, this guide explains how code ownership actually works in each, and why a clause that is fine in one country can fail in another. It is more advanced, but useful the moment you hire across borders, which is common for Indian founders working with global talent. Skim the country that matches your contractor.

  • IP assignment rules differ sharply by country.
  • Some jurisdictions give developers moral rights you cannot fully assign away.
  • A single global template can leave gaps in specific countries.
Open on orrick.com ↗

The question it answers

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

Read with it

  1. This lays out the one fact most first-time founders get wrong: under Indian copyright law your freelancer owns the code they... iPleaders (blog.ipleaders.in) Article · ~20 min read Freelancer Agreement in India: IP, Ownership and the Clauses That Actually Bind iPleaders
  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
  3. Explains that without a written assignment, the agency, not you, may own the code you paid for. It covers present tense... Horizon Labs Article Code Ownership and IP Assignment for Contractors: 2026 Guide Horizon Labs
  4. A lawyer's note on the exact wording that actually transfers code ownership in a development agreement. It is short and... Willcox Savage Article Use the Magic Words: Ownership of Code Developed under a Software Development Agreement Joseph B. Allen
  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
eChai Partner Brands The partnership →