A valuable design portfolio needs a clear chain of title and workable commercial agreements. We draft and review arrangements between designers, employers, manufacturers, distributors and licensees.
The decisions that matter
A commission or payment does not answer every ownership question. Review design rights, copyright permissions, employee contributions, contractor terms and any earlier assignments. The registration should align with the rights actually acquired.
Define the licence commercially
Key points include territories, products, exclusivity, sublicensing, manufacturing rights, quality controls, royalties and audit rights. The contract should address enforcement decisions, improvements, termination and stock remaining after the licence ends.
Coordinate suppliers and confidential material
Access to drawings, moulds, CAD files and production samples can create practical risks beyond the register. Contracts should define permitted use and what happens to tooling and files when the relationship ends.
Commissioned and employee designs
The legal rules on employee creation, commissioned work and assignment differ between design rights and copyright and between countries. Identify the creators, the contracting entities and the rights needed for manufacture, alteration and enforcement. A purchase order saying that the client owns the files may leave important rights unresolved. Correct the chain of title before filing or licensing.
Licensing a product family
Define the designs by registration numbers and representations, while addressing any unregistered appearance and related copyright separately. Specify products, territories, exclusivity, sublicensing, approved factories, quality control and ownership of improvements. Royalty reporting and audit provisions should match the actual distribution model. Decide who pays for renewals and who controls enforcement or settlement.
Exit, tooling and digital files
The end of a relationship should not leave uncertainty about stock, moulds, CAD data and manufacturing instructions. Address return or destruction, permitted sell-off, continued confidentiality and evidence of compliance. A licence should distinguish contractual permission from the territorial rights that exist; granting worldwide permission cannot manufacture worldwide registered protection.
Three contract projects
A brand commissioning a freelance studio needs an assignment and permissions suited to the intended uses. A regional distributor needs a licence matching its actual countries and channels. A joint-development project needs separate treatment of background designs, new contributions and later improvements, including who may file and enforce.
What we need to begin
Useful starting material includes clear product images or drawings, the intended applicant, designer and ownership information, planned countries, earlier filings and all known disclosure dates. Tell us whether the product is a prototype, a final production model or a family of variants, and identify the commercial deadline.
Scope, fees and next steps
We first identify the legal question and the information needed to answer it. The proposed scope distinguishes filing or analysis, office correspondence, negotiations and proceedings, together with official charges and any foreign-adviser work. You receive a matter-specific proposal before the agreed steps are taken. Where another jurisdiction is involved, we coordinate with local advisers as required.
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Legal resources
Official guidance and legal framework. The applicable right, filing date and jurisdiction determine the detailed rules. Editorial review: 11 November 2026.