Licensing & IP Agreements
Intellectual property agreements determine who owns an asset, who may use it, and under what conditions. Torani Law P.C. helps businesses obtain rights to use intellectual property owned by others and grant others permission to use their own trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other protected assets.
Licensing another party’s IP can give a business the rights it needs to use a brand, image, technology, software, or creative work in its products and operations. Licensing your own IP can create opportunities to expand into new products or markets while retaining ownership. The terms should define precisely what may be used, where and for how long it may be used, whether the license is exclusive, what payments are required, and what happens when the agreement ends. Trademark licenses may also need provisions addressing control over the quality of goods or services offered under the mark.
Drafting, review, and negotiations related to IP agreements, including:
- Assignments that transfer ownership of intellectual property.
- Nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) that set rules for sharing and protecting confidential information.
- Work made for hire and contractor agreements that address ownership of work created for a business.
- Development and collaboration agreements that define each party’s rights in existing IP and newly created work.
- Consent and coexistence agreements that establish terms for the use of potentially conflicting intellectual property.
Ownership deserves attention when a business hires a designer, developer, photographer, or other independent contractor. Paying for the work does not, by itself, settle every question of copyright ownership, and the legal requirements for a commissioned work to qualify as a work made for hire are limited. A properly drafted agreement can address ownership and permitted uses before the work begins.
Whether a client is acquiring rights, commercializing its own portfolio, or protecting confidential information, Torani Law P.C. structures agreements around the client’s intended use and business goals.