Software development often involves a creative input from several sources, including suppliers, consultants and your own employees at various stages of specification, design, development, integration and redevelopment. This partnership may span several jurisdictions. Such a fundamental factor as intellectual property rights ownership can be forgotten in the drive to meet deadline and budget requirements. You may not realise their importance until the first costly dispute arises.

Our expertise covers software copyright, patents, database rights, licensing, ownership and infringement, including the recent EU Directives. We can advise you:

• When you are drawing up contract terms at the start of a venture. This can reassure you that you can benefit as far as possible from the time and money you are investing in your project.
• When you are uncertain whether you are making the most of your rights and observing your legal responsibilities.
• When rights are, or are likely to become, the subject of a dispute.

We can assist with individual cases, but one of our strengths is in working with your IT department in ensuring that your development methodologies and procurement practices do not leave you unprotected or disadvantaged in this difficult aspect of law.

Contact ip@faulconbridge.co.uk