General advice about a product/patent that I have on my mind
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General advice about a product/patent that I have on my mind
I have an idea to develop a book about a specific multimillion company, but as I don’t have a company myself and have no idea what the law is. I would like to ask, what should I do to ensure that my idea will not be
Asked on September 18, 2017 under Business Law, New York
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
The only way to protect your idea is to have the people you present the idea to execute (sign) a non-disclosure agreement in which they confirm that they have no rights to the idea you are disclosing (unless they can *prove* that it was independently in consideration or under development prior to your presentation) and may not disclose it to anyone else, use it, develop it, etc. without your prior written approval. The agreement will state that the idea is being disclosed only to evaluate a possible book project. They must sign this *before* you disclose the idea to them: if you present your idea without them first agreeing to not disclose or use, etc. the idea, they may do with it as they please.
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