Three positions
Position 1
Worker owns clone
A clone built on an employee's work product belongs to the employee and cannot operate after they leave.
Position 2
Work-for-hire
Clones built during employment are work product owned by the firm, subject to standard IP doctrine.
Position 3
Time-limited license
The firm gets a fixed-term license to use the clone after departure, with a sunset and royalty.
Best practices
- ●Contracts should address clones explicitly. Silence defaults to disputes.
- ●Sunset clauses prevent indefinite post-departure use.
- ●Workers should have a right to inspect what their clone is being used for.