IT contracts and outsourcing

In IT the key question in any contract is who owns the result. If the assignment of economic rights is not properly documented, the client risks paying for development without acquiring the rights to it.

When to get in touch

• you are commissioning or providing software development services
• you need a contract with contractors, freelancers or an outstaffed team
• you are entering into a licence agreement for a product
• a dispute has arisen about scope, payment or rights in the result

What the lawyer does

• prepares development, licence and service agreements
• sets out clearly how the economic rights in the result pass
• works through confidentiality and non-competition terms
• settles the acceptance procedure and the parties’ liability
• analyses the risks in the chosen contracting model
• handles disputes over performance of IT contracts

Legal basis

The types of transaction for disposing of intellectual property rights are set out in Article 1107 of the Civil Code of Ukraine, and licence agreements in Article 1109. The assignment of economic rights in works of copyright by contract is governed by Article 49 of the Law of Ukraine “On Copyright and Related Rights”, and rights in works created in the course of employment by Article 14 of that Law. The general rules on contracts are set out in Articles 626 and 627 of the Civil Code.

Legislation and case law are updated over time; this page reflects the position as of October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is an acceptance certificate enough to transfer the rights in the code?

No. The certificate records acceptance of the work; the transfer of rights is governed by the contract, which must be in writing (including electronic form) or it is void (Article 1107(2) of the Civil Code). Without clear terms a dispute is possible: the Law provides that the economic rights in a work created on commission pass to the client (Article 15 of the Law), while the Civil Code provides for joint rights of the developer and the client (Article 430 of the Civil Code). The scope of the rights transferred should therefore be set out expressly in the contract.

How does a licence differ from an assignment?

A licence agreement only grants permission to use within defined limits, whereas an assignment transfers the economic rights themselves.

Need legal assistance? Call us or leave a request — a lawyer will contact you and explain what to do in your situation.