Cutting them loose

Hi Q & A,

I've now had a chance to review the documents you sent over. One point of your proposal stuck out to me:

Client understands that as implementer [Firm] shall receive partial credit for any and all concepts, ideas, theories, insights, discoveries, innovations, and inventions pertaining to the work products specified in this agreement that result in a patent during or after the execution of this agreement.

On this point, I recommend you get yourselves a copy of Nolo's Patents for Beginners, (ISBN 1-4133-0455-9), which may be useful to you moving forward. In particular, p. 140 states: "if one person came up with the concept of the invention, while the other merely built and tested it--the second person is not a co-inventor."

As I wrote previously my interest up to this point has simply been a work-for-hire arrangement with a programmer, to assist me in translating my algorithms into executable code. I am sorry that such a relationship is not in keeping with your plans for [Firm]. Under the circumstances, it appears in my best interest to complete and file the patent applications that I have in process prior to hiring any programming assistance. While I had hoped to prepare the proofs-of-concept in advance of filing, these are not essential to the patents themselves, though potentially beneficial down the road in seeking clients and investors.

I wish you both well, as you move forward with your business and your dreams. I trust that you will abide by the confidentiality agreement that we have all signed, keeping the details of our interactions, and any and all documents provided by me, in confidence. If I have need for your services in the future, I will be sure to contact you.

Best regards,

Articulate