Who owns what your business built?
For education only. Not legal advice. Tellbrief is not a law firm.
Before a deal, your lawyer will want to know who made the things your business sells, and what was signed with them.
Make a simple list
Write down the things your business depends on and who created each one.
- Software and code: which founders, employees or contractors wrote it?
- Designs, logos, photos and copy: in-house, freelancer or agency?
- Recipes, formulas and processes: who developed them, and where?
- Data: did you collect it, license it, or take it from public sources?
Find the paperwork
For each item, look for a written agreement with the person or company who made it. Note where there is none.
Check the accounts
Domains, code repositories, app store listings and social accounts are sometimes held in a founder’s or agency’s personal name. List who controls each one.
Why it comes up
If you find gaps before a deal, there’s time to raise them with your lawyer.
Questions
A friend built our first version for free. Does that matter?
It’s worth raising with a lawyer. Bring what you know about who built what and any messages about the arrangement.
Our agency holds our domain. Should we move it?
Ask your lawyer and agency. Start by listing which accounts are in whose name.
Get your lawyer up to speed before the first call
About 30 questions, most of them one tap, free and with no account. Tellbrief turns your answers into a brief your lawyer can work from, and you keep a copy.
Start your brief →For education only. This article is general information for founders, not legal advice, and reading it doesn’t make you anyone’s client. Tellbrief is not a law firm. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed lawyer.