1
7 Comments

Non-exclusive license for consulting project

I am preparing a consulting proposal for a project.
The client wants to have the source code but I don't want to give them exclusive rights to it, meaning that I want to sell the same code to other companies in the future.

Does this mean that I have to license it to them?
How can I do this? Is there a template available?

Any advice much appreciated!

  1. 2

    This comment was deleted 7 years ago

    1. 1

      Sounds really complicated and that I'd have to hire a lawyer to draft the "licencing terms".
      Maybe I'll give the client full IP this time and prepare this for the next time.
      I'm afraid of looking ridiculous coming up with legalese sentences that I'm not sure if they have the intended effect.

      I have a company but I don't know if I'm insured.
      I will include it in the terms.

      1. 2

        This comment was deleted 7 years ago

        1. 1

          Be aware, by the way, that giving the client your IPR means you cannot use your own code in the future should the client decide to get nasty about it.

          Yeah but I don't really have an alternative.
          I opened the thread to see if there was a viable alternative (which does not require a lawyer).

  2. 1

    This comment was deleted 7 years ago

    1. 1

      Thanks but I can't see the documents. They require a sign in/trial to the service.
      That's for "work for hire", which AFAIK means everything belongs to them.
      So that can't be non-exclusive, right?

      1. 2

        This comment was deleted 7 years ago

        1. 1

          Still can't access them (signup wall). Maybe it identifies that you're from UK and lets you see it.

          So how do I mention that I retain rights to the code in the proposal/contract?

          1. 1

            This comment was deleted 7 years ago

            1. 1

              Thanks, that works.
              We haven't discussed that it's a "work for hire" or anything yet.
              That's why I want to mention that it's not a "work for hire" in writing and mention it in the proposal. I don't know if that's possible.

              If it's not "work for hire", what is it?
              I haven't found any templates for licensing code.

              1. 2

                This comment was deleted 7 years ago

                1. 1

                  That looks great Thomas!
                  Is that common boilerplate?

                  1. 2

                    This comment was deleted 7 years ago

                    1. 1

                      I understand what you're saying.
                      I just don't know how to take this paragraph into something that:
                      a. does what I want
                      b. is valid "legalese"

                      It makes sense to me as a person but I don't know if it has any merit in the "legal world".
                      I'm kind of troubled that I have not seeing such clauses in any templates I've looked so far.
                      All templates contain the "all the IP belongs to the client" terms.

                      I mean after all you can't "patent" an algorithm/methodology.
                      If I rewrite the same code with one line modification, does this qualify as "different" from the original work?