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Employee Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement

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Employee Proprietary Rights Acknowledgment

Agreement made on the , between

of , referred to herein as Employee, and , a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of , with its principal office located at , referred to herein as Company or Party.

Whereas, Company is engaged in the business to develop, deploy and operate next generation media and communications network based services to single-family, multi-family, high-rise, resort and hospitality properties; and

Whereas, Company has offered employment to the Employee and Employee desires or has accepted said offer of employment; and

Whereas, Employee is willing to be employed or continue employment by the Company, and the Company is willing to employ or continue to employ Employee, based in material part on the terms, covenants and conditions hereinafter set forth;

Now, therefore, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants contained in this agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

A. Definitions As Used in this Agreement

Company means , its successors and assigns, and any of its present or future subsidiaries, affiliates, or organizations controlled by, controlling, or under common control with it, and all foreign related companies.

B. Competing Business means any business, regardless of the legal form in which it is carried out, which competes, directly or indirectly with the business of the Company, including, but not limited to, the development, deployment and operating of next generation media and communications network based services to single-family, multi-family, high-rise, resort and hospitality properties.

C. Proprietary Information means trade secrets or any other information disclosed to Employee or known to Employee as a consequence of or through his or her relationship with the Company which is not public knowledge, including, but not limited to, information relating to research, development, inventions, manufacture, purchasing, accounting, engineering, marketing, merchandising, patents, copyrights, proprietary information, trade secrets, systems, procedures, manuals, confidential reports, and lists of customers (which are deemed for all purposes confidential and proprietary), as well as the nature and type of services rendered by the Company, the equipment and methods used and preferred by the Company’s customers, and the fees paid by them and selling.

By way of illustration, but not limitation, Proprietary Information includes trade secrets as defined under common law and/or the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, processes, formulas, data and know-how, improvements, inventions, techniques, marketing plans, strategies, data sets, forecasts, supplier information and information regarding the identities and preferences of customers and potential customers.

Employee specifically understand and agree that Proprietary Information shall include all software, system manuals, design documentation, source and object code, and other documentation relating to the existing, and any future, computer/data processing systems of the Company which have been or may be developed by the Company or by any third party pursuant to a contract with the Company.

D. Inventions means all right, title and interest (including patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, mask work rights, sui generis database rights and all other intellectual and industrial rights of any sort throughout the world) relating to any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), works of authorship, mask works, designs, know-how, ideas and information made or conceived or reduced to practice, in whole or in part, by Employee during the term of his/her employment with the Company to the fullest extent allowed by law concerning any present or prospective activities of the Company with which Employee become acquainted as a result of his/her employment by the Company.

1. Inventions

With respect to Inventions made or conceived by Employee, either solely or jointly with others, during the term of his/her employment by the Company or within two (2) years after termination of such employment (whether or not such Invention is made or conceived during the hours of his/her employment or with the use of the Company's facilities, materials or personnel), if such Invention in whole or in part is based on or related to Proprietary Information:

A. Employee agrees to inform the Company promptly and fully of such Inventions by a written report, setting forth in detail the procedures employed and the results achieved. Employee will submit a report periodically during the course of his/her employment as requested by the Company, and upon termination of his/her employment, of any studies or research projects undertaken on the Company's behalf, whether or not, in his/her opinion a given project has resulted in an Invention.

B. Employee will apply, at the Company's request and expense, for United States and foreign letters patent either in his/her name or otherwise as the Company shall desire. In the event that Employee is unable, or unwilling, to apply for a United States and foreign letters patent, then this Agreement shall authorize the Company to make such application on his/her behalf.

C. Employee hereby assigns and agrees to assign to the Company all of his/her rights to such Inventions and to applications for United States and/or foreign letters patent granted upon such Inventions. Employee agrees that he/she will have no claim in any Invention, and that all rights to any Invention shall belong solely to the Company. In the event that Employee is unable, or unwilling, to make the assignment of any of his/her rights to such Inventions and to applications for United States and/or foreign letters patent, this Agreement shall authorize the Company to make such assignment on his/her behalf.

D. Employee acknowledges and agrees to deliver promptly to the Company, without charge to the Company but at its expense, such written instruments and do such other acts, such as giving testimony in support of his/her inventor-ship, as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to obtain and maintain United States and/or foreign letters patent and to vest the entire right and title thereto in the Company.

E. Company shall also have the perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive, sub-licensable, royalty-free right and license to use, exploit and exercise in its business, and to make, use and sell products, processes and/or services derived from any inventions, discoveries, concepts and ideas, whether or not patentable, including but not limited to processes, methods, formulas, and techniques, as well as improvements or know-how, whether or not within the scope of the Inventions, but which are conceived or made by Employee during the hours which Employee is employed by the Company or with the use of assistance of the Company's facilities, materials or personnel.

E. To the extent allowed by law, the provisions contained in this Section 1, includes all rights of paternity, integrity, disclosure and withdrawal and any other rights that may be known as or referred to as moral rights, artist’s rights, droit moral, or the like (collectively Moral Rights). To the extent that the Employee retains any such Moral Rights under applicable law, Employee hereby ratifies and consents to any action that may be taken with respect to such Moral Rights by or authorized by the Company and agrees mot to assert any Moral Rights with respect thereto. Employee will confirm any such ratifications, consents and agreements from time to time as requested by the Company.

2. Disclosure of Proprietary Information

A. Except as required in connection with Employee’s duties as an employee of the Company, Employee agree that Proprietary Information of the Company shall not be disclosed by Employee, or any person or entity related to Employee, to any individual, corporation or other third party without the express written permission of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

B. Upon termination of Employee’s employment with the Company, all documents, records, notebooks, and similar repositories of or containing Proprietary Information, including copies thereof, then in his/her possession, whether prepared by Employee or others, will be left with the Company.

C. Employee recognizes that the Company has received and in the future will receive from third parties confidential or proprietary information, and that the Company will have a duty to maintain the confidentiality of such information and use it only for certain limited purposes. Employee agrees that Employee owes the Company and such third parties, during the term of his/her employment and thereafter, a duty to hold all such confidential or proprietary information in the strictest confidence and, except as necessary in carrying out his/her work for the Company and for the benefit of the Company, consistent with the Company's agreement with such third party, not to disclose it to any person, firm or corporation or to use it in any way without the express written authorization of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

D, The Parties hereby stipulate and agree that violation or breach of the terms of this Paragraph shall be a material breach of this Agreement. Employee agrees that he or she shall also be subject to the Company’s Business Asset Protection Agreement as delineated in the Company’s employee handbook, as may be amended from time to time.

4. Acknowledgment of Proprietary Rights

Employee specifically acknowledges that all computer software in various stages of development (source code, object code, documentation, diagrams, flow charts) and all related designs, drawings, specifications, models, and data, and other know-how developed or acquired by Employee during the course of his/her employment by the Company shall be considered to be Proprietary Information belonging solely to the Company, and that Employee shall have no rights with respect to such Proprietary Information. Employee acknowledge that all original works of authorship which are made by me (either along or jointly with others) within the scope of his/her employment and which are protectable by copyright are "works made for hire" as that term is defined in the United States Copyright Act (17 USCA §101).

5. Use of Confidential or Proprietary Information

Employee further agrees that he/she will not use, nor make available to any other party, any Confidential or Proprietary Information as defined under the terms of this Agreement in any manner except as specifically approved by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. This covenant shall be in force during the term of his/her employment with the Company, and shall continue in force subsequent to his/her termination of employment.

6. Non-Competition Agreement and Solicitation Prohibition

Because the Company will be sharing Proprietary Information with Employee, Employee recognizes that the Company is entitled to be protected for a reasonable period of time against the possibility that he/she may provide any benefit to a Competing Business. Therefore:

A. While employed by the Company, and for two years thereafter, Employee agrees that he/she shall not, directly or indirectly, become employed by, engage in, be interested in or provide any benefit to any Competing Business. During this period Employee agrees not to become associated with any Competing Business, either directly or indirectly, as an equity owner or associated with such

B. Competing Business, (except for ownership of publicly traded stock, not in associated with), employee, representative, agent, consultant, director, officer, lender or advisor and he/she will not seek or accept any direct or indirect compensation from any such Competing Business. As used herein, the term associated wit” shall include acting directly or indirectly as an agent, employee, consultant, officer, director, beneficial owner of stock as defined in Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (excluding being the beneficial owner of any stock which represents less than 3% interest in a Company), partner or in any other capacity whatsoever, which competes with the Company or any of its affiliated entities, as defined above. The restrictions on his/her activities set forth in this subparagraph shall apply only to Competing Businesses that sell or deliver products or services within the United States. Employee agrees that this geographic scope of these restrictions is reasonable and necessary to protect the Company’s interests, as the Company’s actual and prospective market extends throughout the United States.

C. Employee further agrees that during the term of his/her employment by the Company and for two years thereafter Employee will not in any manner whatsoever participate in the inducement of any Company employee to leave his or her employment or in the identification, recruitment or hiring of any Company employee by a Competing Business.

D. Employee further agrees that should he/she seek employment outside the Company while employed by the Company and for two years thereafter Employee will advise all prospective employers of the existence and terms of this Confidentiality and Noncompetition Agreement.

7. Prior Employment

Employee represents that:

A. Employee’s performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an employee of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence proprietary or confidential information, including the Proprietary Information acquired by Employee in confidence or in trust prior to his/her employment by the Company.

B. Employee has not entered into, and will not enter into, any agreement, either written or oral, in conflict herewith.

C. Employee will not bring with him/her to the Company or use in the performance of his/her responsibilities for the Company, any materials or documents of any former employer, which are not generally available to the public, unless written authorization from the former employer, has been obtained.

D. Employee will not breach any obligation of confidentiality that he/she has to any former employer during the term of his/her employment with the Company.

E. Prior Inventions and Original Work

Employee has attached hereto, as Exhibit A, a list describing all inventions, original works of authorship, developments, improvements and trade secrets which were made by him/her prior to his/her employment with the Company, which belong to Employee, which relate to the Company's business and/or products, and which he/she has not assigned to the Company.

F. Nothing contained in this Agreement changes, or will be construed to change, the at will nature of the Employee’s employment by the Company.

G. This Agreement is for the unique personal services of Employee and is not assignable or delegable in whole or in part by Employee without the consent of the Board of Directors of the Company. This Agreement may be assigned or delegated in whole or in part by the Company and, in such case, the terms of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, be assumed by, and be binding upon the entity to which this Agreement is assigned.

8. Severability

The invalidity of any portion of this Agreement will not and shall not be deemed to affect the validity of any other provision. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, the parties agree that the remaining provisions shall be deemed to be in full force and effect as if they had been executed by both parties subsequent to the expungement of the invalid provision.

9. No Waiver

The failure of either party to this Agreement to insist upon the performance of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, or the waiver of any breach of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, shall not be construed as subsequently waiving any such terms and conditions, but the same shall continue and remain in full force and effect as if no such forbearance or waiver had occurred.

10. Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of .

11. Notices

Unless provided herein to the contrary, any notice provided for or concerning this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given when sent by certified or registered mail if sent to the respective address of each party as set forth at the beginning of this Agreement.

12. Attorney’s Fees

In the event that any lawsuit is filed in relation to this Agreement, the unsuccessful party in the action shall pay to the successful party, in addition to all the sums that either party may be called on to pay, a reasonable sum for the successful party's attorney fees.

13. Mandatory Arbitration

Any dispute under this Agreement shall be required to be resolved by binding arbitration of the parties hereto. If the parties cannot agree on an arbitrator, each party shall select one arbitrator and both arbitrators shall then select a third. The third arbitrator so selected shall arbitrate said dispute. The arbitration shall be governed by the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in force and effect.

14. Entire Agreement

This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement between the parties and any prior understanding or representation of any kind preceding the date of this Agreement shall not be binding upon either party except to the extent incorporated in this Agreement.

15. Modification of Agreement

Any modification of this Agreement or additional obligation assumed by either party in connection with this Agreement shall be binding only if placed in writing and signed by each party or an authorized representative of each party.

16. Assignment of Rights

The rights of each party under this Agreement are personal to that party and may not be assigned or transferred to any other person, firm, corporation, or other entity without the prior, express, and written consent of the other party.

17. Counterparts

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

18. Compliance with Laws

In performing under this Agreement, all applicable governmental laws, regulations, orders, and other rules of duly-constituted authority will be followed and complied with in all respects by both parties.

WITNESS our signatures as of the day and date first above stated.

By:

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What the Employee Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement Does

An Employee Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement is a contract that transfers or confirms ownership of inventions, designs, software, and other intellectual property created by an employee to the employer. It defines the scope of assignable work, identifies categories of IP (inventions, improvements, trade secrets, copyrights), and establishes the employee’s ongoing cooperation for patent or copyright filings. Employers commonly use this agreement to avoid ownership disputes, ensure clear chain-of-title for filings and commercialization, and require disclosure and assistance obligations that survive termination.

Why employers and employees use this agreement

This agreement clarifies ownership of inventions, preserves the employer’s right to patent and exploit work product, and reduces the risk of later disputes over authorship or control.

Why employers and employees use this agreement

Core elements every professional IP assignment should include

A well-drafted assignment agreement balances clear ownership transfer with narrow, objective definitions and practical cooperation clauses to support patent prosecution and commercial use.

Parties

Full legal names and entity types for employer and employee, including employer’s state of incorporation and the employee’s job title and department.

Definitions

Precise definitions for Inventions, Works, Improvements, and Confidential Information that cover conceived, reduced-to-practice, or authored items during employment.

Assignment Clause

An unconditional present assignment of rights in covered IP, including future-created works within the defined scope and any moral rights waivers where permitted.

Consideration

Description of the consideration (employment, bonus, equity, or separate payment) recognizing that consideration must be adequate under state contract law.

Cooperation

Obligation for the employee to assist with patent filings, execute assignment documents, and provide statements for patent prosecution after termination.

Survival & Governing Law

Clauses confirming survival of assignment and cooperation obligations and naming the governing state law for interpretation and enforcement.

Step-by-step: completing the Employee Intellectual Property Assignment

Follow these sequential steps to create a binding, enforceable IP assignment that minimizes ambiguity and preserves employer rights.

  • 01
    Gather party details: Collect full legal names, titles, employer formation data, and employee contact information.
  • 02
    Define covered IP: Specify invention categories and timeframes tied to employment or specific projects.
  • 03
    Describe consideration: Record salary, bonuses, equity, or separate consideration and attach exhibits where needed.
  • 04
    Sign and retain: Obtain dated signatures from both parties and store signed originals securely with audit trail.

Setting up the agreement for secure online completion

Configure your digital workflow to enforce required fields, signer order, and authentication before sending for signature.

Template Creation Save a master template to lock base clauses and prevent accidental edits during sending.
Required Fields Mark Employer Name, Employee Name, Effective Date, Scope, and Signature as mandatory fields.
Signer Roles Assign signer roles in order: employee first, authorized employer representative last.
Authentication Use email plus SMS code or stronger methods for high-assurance signings.
Notifications Enable automatic completion notices and attach certificate of completion to final PDF.

Typical eSignature flow for an IP assignment

A standard electronic signing workflow ensures each signer reviews, signs, and receives a copy with an audit trail for enforcement and retention.

  • Upload document: Host the finalized template in the signing platform.
  • Place fields: Insert signature, date, initial, and checkbox fields where required.
  • Send to signer: Deliver via email link or secure signing invite in role order.
  • Complete and store: Signed PDF and audit trail are archived and delivered to parties.

Technical considerations for digital completion and eSubmission

Choose a platform that supports required authentication, secure storage, audit trails, and the file formats you use for legal records.

  • File formats: PDF, DOCX supported
  • Integrations: Connects with HR and document repositories
  • Authentication: Email, SMS code, or advanced options

Key data fields to include in the agreement

Employer Name: Full legal name
Employee Name: Legal name
Effective Date: MM/DD/YYYY
Invention Scope: Defined categories
Consideration: Payment or equity
Signature Block: Signed and dated

Common mistakes that weaken IP assignment agreements

  • Using vague invention language that fails to capture work-for-hire, leading to disputes about whether specific works are covered.
  • Omitting clear consideration or relying only on general employment, which some courts may find insufficient in certain jurisdictions.
  • Failing to include cooperation clauses for patent prosecution, making post-termination assistance legally cumbersome or impossible to enforce.
  • Allowing unsigned or undated assignment pages or using initials where full signatures are required, which can invalidate transfer of rights.

Risks if the agreement is incorrect or incomplete

Ownership disputes: Litigation risk
Patent delays: Filing impediments
Lost rights: Invalid assignments
Employment claims: Breach allegations
Reputational harm: Partner distrust
Increased costs: Attorney fees

How organizations use IP assignment agreements in practice

Real-world examples show how clarity in assignment and cooperation clauses supports patent filings and prevents ownership disputes across industries.

Tech Startup Scenario

A software engineer develops core code during employment and documents contributions in a signed assignment.

  • The company files a provisional patent within three months.
  • Because the agreement required prompt disclosure and cooperation, the startup secured clear title, simplified investor due diligence, and avoided contested inventorship claims during early funding rounds.

University Research Example

A postdoctoral researcher creates a patentable method while on a sponsored project and signs an assignment to the university.

  • The university legal team coordinates with the researcher for filing.
  • The assignment plus cooperation clause allowed the university to manage patent prosecution and license the technology to industry partners while crediting and compensating the researcher under institutional policy.

Tips for accurate and efficient completion

Follow these practices to reduce errors, speed execution, and preserve enforceability of assignment provisions.

Use precise definitions
Define 'Invention' and related terms with project- and time-bound language so that scope is objective and defensible in dispute.
Document consideration clearly
Record the exact form of consideration given for assignment — salary alone may be insufficient in some states without express language.
Require disclosure
Include a short disclosure form or exhibit for employees to list relevant inventions promptly and with dates to build an evidentiary record.
Retain originals and audit trails
Store signed originals or immutable signed PDFs with audit trails and export options to support future enforcement or due diligence.

eSignature vendor comparison for executing IP assignment agreements

Compare basic pricing and key feature availability across common eSignature vendors; signNow is listed first per platform comparison conventions.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day trial No No No No
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No
Envelope Cap No cap 100 envelopes/user/year Varies Varies Varies

Who typically signs and manages these agreements

In-house Counsel

General counsel and IP counsel draft and maintain assignment templates, coordinate patent cooperation clauses, and resolve disputes arising from ambiguous assignment language.

HR and Hiring Managers

HR integrates assignment agreements into onboarding workflows, ensures signed copies are stored with personnel files, and coordinates consideration documentation such as equity grants.

Frequently asked questions about Employee IP Assignment Agreements

Answers to common legal and practical questions about drafting, signing, and enforcing employee IP assignment agreements in the United States.


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