Designer: "For school, I've designed things around your business."
(potential) Client: "Oh really? I'd like to see your work."
Designer: "Sure! I'll bring it in next weekend"
...a week later...
Designer: "I've brought a sample. Do you have a moment to view it?"
(potential) Client: "No, how about you send a pdf to my email"
Designer: "Ok."
...later that night...
Designer's thoughts: I'm elated that he's interested in viewing my work! But, what if he steals my idea? Even if I showed samples in person, I'd be hesitant to let him keep it. Even still, I strongly doubt keeping it under lock and key is right either. Should I have him sign something first? This has become a messy situation. Perhaps I should have talked about signing a 'I won't steal your stuff' agreements when we first spoke? ...but who wants a casual conversation to turn into signing below the fine print? Wait! I've got a brilliant idea! I will...
...add "Copyright © Andrea Rainey 2009" in tiny, unobtrusive, but still legible type at the bottom of the page—just as I would do if I created a professional website to showcase my student work. Chances are, this potential client is asking in good faith to see my sample and doesn't mean any harm, and this could be a good opportunity for me. Stilll, gotta look out for number 1. Adding some fine print might give me a legal leg to stand on in case the client does try something shady. At the very least, it communicates the message that I consider my work to be my intellectual property.
Andrea, I don't actually know whether this would give you any legal recourse if you did have problems. It was the first thing that came to mind, though. I will check with my employer's copyright & permissions person and see if she has any additional advice to offer.
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Update: I did discuss our situation with my colleague, who said that (1) the work is yours, no question, even though you have not formally registered a copyright on it but (2) adding the copyright language gives you some ground to stand on if anyone tries to steal your stuff. She also recommended savings your drafts, etc. (which yu probably do anyway) so that, if necessary, you could easily document that it was a design you developed over time.
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