I'm a programmer in between contracts. I have only ever worked inside IR35 contracts, and in the future, I want to focus a lot more on my brand. Specifically, I want to start producing my own products and monetising them. Happy to do this through a LTD company, and that would be my preferred approach for insurances etc.
I'm not opposed to taking on another inside IR35 contract, and in my experience, they are easier to obtain because clients err on the side of caution. However, my main concern is protecting development work and intellectual property. Ideally, I would be free to work on my brand at my leisure.
My understanding is that while you can work through an LTD, most inside contracts will insist on using an umbrella. And those umbrellas will have boilerplate agreements, especially regarding IP. I hit a brick wall when I bring up IP with umbrellas, which I find really odd, considering we are contractors. Furthermore, it's unclear what IP contracts I would need in place. Is it between me and the umbrella, me and the agency, or me and the end client? For the record, I have spoken to a couple of IP lawyers and even paid to have contracts reviewed, but I've yet to find an IP lawyer that deals with, let alone understands, IR35 or can advise.
Am I beating my head against a brick wall here? Am I better off just focusing purely on outside contracts?
I'm not opposed to taking on another inside IR35 contract, and in my experience, they are easier to obtain because clients err on the side of caution. However, my main concern is protecting development work and intellectual property. Ideally, I would be free to work on my brand at my leisure.
My understanding is that while you can work through an LTD, most inside contracts will insist on using an umbrella. And those umbrellas will have boilerplate agreements, especially regarding IP. I hit a brick wall when I bring up IP with umbrellas, which I find really odd, considering we are contractors. Furthermore, it's unclear what IP contracts I would need in place. Is it between me and the umbrella, me and the agency, or me and the end client? For the record, I have spoken to a couple of IP lawyers and even paid to have contracts reviewed, but I've yet to find an IP lawyer that deals with, let alone understands, IR35 or can advise.
Am I beating my head against a brick wall here? Am I better off just focusing purely on outside contracts?
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