Drawing Ownership
Drawing Ownership
(OP)
Hello all,
Who legally has rights to drawings once they are issued other than the Client? If I work for a company and am the E.O.R. do I have a legal right to have the drawings if I leave the company? Thanks.
Who legally has rights to drawings once they are issued other than the Client? If I work for a company and am the E.O.R. do I have a legal right to have the drawings if I leave the company? Thanks.






RE: Drawing Ownership
RE: Drawing Ownership
I'm not aware of any legal rights but if the drawings you stamped and signed contain company's standard details and so on, it is unethical to reuse them for projects at your new company. Then again, many "content" of structural typical details are essentially code based which can not be copyrighted, thus you may generate your own details "based" on some of these details.
Copying and pasting your previous firm's CAD details on your future company's projects (regardless whether you reviewed the content) could result in a lawsuit.
RE: Drawing Ownership
This, of course, assumes;
a) they can prove you copy and pasted said material. (vs reproducing them)
b) they somehow find out you've done this
c) the idea you've C&P'd is a unique solution created by said company (and not by yourself while working there)