Owning Your Own IP at a Company?

An anonymous reader asks: "I work as Sys Admin for a sporting company, and I'm the only 'Computer Guy' there. Recently I've been doing a lot of work writing code for their webpage and other related areas, and since I was up for contract renewal I raised the question of Intellectual Property. Now, in the contract there is a section which says that computer records/lists and such belong to the company (ie player registrations and other semi-sensitive data), but beyond that my manager was quite happy for me to own the code that I've written. Neither of us is very good with writing contracts, so he said 'Draft a document and get back to me'. Now what sort of stuff should I put in it?" This is a situation many of us may hopefully find ourselves in. For those of you who have been through this before, how did you end up structuring your contacts? Please note, when it comes to contracts, nothing beats seeking professional legal advice. "I want it to express that there is an amicable agreement between us, that I own my code (including miscellany like shell scripts) and that they can keep using my code, in the normal fashion, after I've left the company. Is there anyone else who's in a similar situation? How did you write your contracts?"

Comments

So naturally...

[Anonymous Coward]

Please note, when it comes to contracts, nothing beats seeking professional legal advice.

So naturally, it gets posted here.

Keeps me comin' back

[quokkapox]

You know, despite all the frequent dupes and microsoft mashing here, there's one thing that keeps me coming back again and again.

I don't know WHAT i would do if it weren't for all the quality, personalized legal advice you can get FOR FREE, just by reading slashdot.

AYB

[dcapel]

Sample Draft:

        Narrator: In A.D. 2005, contract was beginning.

        Boss: What happen ?
        Flunky: Somebody set up us the contract experation.

        Flunky2: We get contract.
        Boss: What !
        Flunky2: Main screen turn on.
        Boss: It's you !!
        You: How are you gentlemen !!
        You: All my IP are belong to us.
        You: You are on the way to signing.
        Boss: What you say !!
        You: You have no chance to back out make your time.
        You: Ha Ha Ha Ha ....

        Flunky2: Boss !!
        Boss: Take off every 'Lawyer'!!
        Flunky2: You know what you doing.
        Boss: Move 'IP'.
        Boss: For great justice.

What I would do

[Stanistani]

I would have a meeting with the boss, the legal staff, and the primary stakeholders.
I would bring to the table a small portable grill, some marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.
Then, when everyone was enjoying their s'mores, I would suggest linking hands and singing "Kumbaya."

Re:I second this!

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

Besides the lawyer: put it into the agreement what you are supposed to do!
As a sysadmin I ended up doing "under the belt" jobs many times that did not fit my qualification and was not in my contract.

Talk about not in your contract!

What's under the belt, stays under the belt. All my clients keep their pants on, or I leave the room.