What should i look for in a work-for-hire clause to protect my copyright?

[GaryM]

I just had a potential client ask me to sign a contract that includes a clause about "work for hire." I’ve always owned the copyright to my design work, and this has me worried about losing that ownership completely. Has anyone navigated this before?

[Jerry_T]

I had a potential client ask for a work for hire clause on a branding package. I pushed back and we instead did an assignment of rights for the deliverables, but I kept a perpetual, nonexclusive license to show the work in my portfolio and in pitches. It felt safer and we avoided handing over everything up front.

[BrianXG]

Another time I tried to keep ownership of the underlying concepts and just gave them rights to the finished artwork. We carved out the right to reuse the logo in my own work for portfolio and case studies, and I asked for a clear scope so it doesn’t spill into future projects. It wasn’t foolproof, but it helped me sleep at night.

[VioletIL]

I still feel uncertain about the legal bits. I asked a lawyer to review after I kept tripping over the wording. The clause can be a big deal, but in practice, many clients don’t push it beyond the deliverables. I learned to push for a separate IP schedule that spells out what goes where and what I keep.

[Kyle52]

Question: do you actually want to own the copyright, or would a long term license to use and show the work suffice for your needs? If you want to stay flexible, you might push for a license back or carve outs, but you’ll still want a clear scope and maybe a quick check with a local lawyer.