Article

Who Owns Your IP

WilmerHale · WilmerHale Launch Free Beginner

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 it takes to move that ownership to your company. It covers founders, employees, and contractors in one place so you see where the gaps usually open. A good first read before you talk to any lawyer.

  • The creator owns the work unless a written agreement says otherwise.
  • Every contributor to the product needs a signed assignment, no exceptions.
  • Investors check your IP chain of title during due diligence.
Open on launch.wilmerhale.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. If your developer sits in France, Germany, the UK, or the US, this guide explains how code ownership actually works in each,... Orrick Article Intellectual Property Assignments from Software Developers (France, Germany, UK, US) Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
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