Re: Re: Can I do this legally?

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Can I do this legally?

Comments:
: : : Hello, : : : I work in an academic environment as the principal : : : software developer on a noncommercial product. This : : : product has a good deal of commercial potential and : : : may in fact become commercial at some point. I am : : : thinking of leaving my job to start my own company : : : producing what would essentially extend this product, : : : but starting from scratch and not using any of the : : : same code. : : : Are there any legal problems associated with this? : : : Would my current employer have any rights to the : : : product that I created after I left? : : : Bill : : Dear Bill, : : #1 Maybe. : : #2 Maybe. : : M. Arthur Auslander : : Auslander & Thomas-Intellectual Property Law Since 1909 : : 505 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018 : : 212-594-6900, fax 212-244-0028, aus@auslander.com : : ELAINE's Workshop (sm) : : E arly L egal A dvice I s N ot E xpensive : I picked up a book on intellectual property law : and see that the major areas that potentially : apply are trade secret law, copyright law, and : patent law. I think I can exclude trade secret : from my list of concerns, as software design : diagrams and screen shots are posted on a public : website, with full managerial knowledge. The : software itself is just an implementation of a : publicly available design specification. : Given these circumstances how likely is it that : a copyright and/or patent lawsuit against me would : succeed? Or is it just impossible to say? ;-)

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