So I'm going to start a software consulting company to do some web database work with my free time, and signed some stuff I probably shouldn't have with my current employer. Specifically dealing with intellectual property and software. More specifically stating that anything I made was theirs.
When signing the forms at employment, I hesitated because I did do free-lance programing on the side and was assured(verbally) that since the company was strictly hardware, it wouldn't matter and any software was mine.
Fast-forward to a few weeks ago and I decide to put a corporate name to my work(start a company). So to cover my ass I've got to get my company to sign some stuff stating that my IP is actually mine.
Luckily the guys I work with are good people, I told them of my rough ideas and that I'd probably need them to sign some stuff and they were actually happy about the whole thing because they had clients that they could refer to me for web programing work. I'd be a value added service instead of a competitor.
Still doesn't change the fact that I've got to pay top dollar for the best firm in the area to clarify everything from a legal perspective, my attorney bills $255 an hour. As an odd fluke, I find out that a friend of mine's father is a top attorney in the firm and directed me to the right guy for me. In talks of fees and retainers and such he mentioned that the usual retainer is $5,000 then asked if that would tank me. I sorta hesitated and said that it would be inconvienient. He just smiled and said, "How about $1,000". That I could do.
:thumbsup: to knowing the right people.
When signing the forms at employment, I hesitated because I did do free-lance programing on the side and was assured(verbally) that since the company was strictly hardware, it wouldn't matter and any software was mine.
Fast-forward to a few weeks ago and I decide to put a corporate name to my work(start a company). So to cover my ass I've got to get my company to sign some stuff stating that my IP is actually mine.
Luckily the guys I work with are good people, I told them of my rough ideas and that I'd probably need them to sign some stuff and they were actually happy about the whole thing because they had clients that they could refer to me for web programing work. I'd be a value added service instead of a competitor.
Still doesn't change the fact that I've got to pay top dollar for the best firm in the area to clarify everything from a legal perspective, my attorney bills $255 an hour. As an odd fluke, I find out that a friend of mine's father is a top attorney in the firm and directed me to the right guy for me. In talks of fees and retainers and such he mentioned that the usual retainer is $5,000 then asked if that would tank me. I sorta hesitated and said that it would be inconvienient. He just smiled and said, "How about $1,000". That I could do.
:thumbsup: to knowing the right people.
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