[ajug-members] Questions and Concerns Regarding Intellectual Property Rights for Software Developers

[Stephen Davis]

Here is an excerpt from the contract:

Inventions. Employee agrees that during employment he/she will
promptly inform and disclose to Employer and to any Client to whom
he/she has performed work all copyrighted materials or programs,
programs or materials subject to being copyrighted, inventions,
designs, improvements and discoveries which he/she has or may have
during his/her employment which pertain or relate to the business of
Employer or Client or to any research or experimental or developmental
work carried on by Employer or Client, or which results from or is
suggested by any work performed by Employee on behalf of Employer or
any of its Clients. Such disclosure shall be made whether or not such
programs, materials, inventions, designs, improvements and discoveries
are conceived by the Employee alone or with others and whether or not
conceived during regular working hours. All such copyrighted programs,
materials, inventions, designs, improvements and discoveries shall be
the exclusive property of the Client unless otherwise directed by
Employer in writing. At the Employer or Client’s sole expense, the
Employee shall assist in obtaining patents or copyrights on all such
inventions, programs, materials, designs, improvements and discoveries
deemed patentable or subject to copyright by Employer or Client and
shall execute all documents and do all things necessary to obtain
letters, patent, or vest Employer or Client with full and exclusive
title thereto, and protect the same against infringement by others.
Employee will not be entitled to additional compensation for any
inventions or designs made during the course of his/her employment.