getting sued.
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- mitsurugi
is anyone familiar with this scenario?
my girlfriend worked at a corporate design house for 4 years and recently left. she has their work posted (that she designed) on her website. they just sent her an email that they would sue her if she didn't take her site down.
btw, her site doesn't state that it's a personal portfolio or that the work was created for that company. i think these may be issues.
if anyone has any resources or good lawyers that specialize in this area of litigations (in NYC) please let me know.
Thanks.
- ********0
I've been there. I just took the shit down, one piece isn't really worth it to me.
:P
- Bio0
had tha thappen to a friend.
some places make you sign a contract that prohibits you from using their work in your portfolio.if she signed this, then she is out of luck and will have to remove the work (at least that is what my friend had to do).
if she didn't sign this, then it should be ok for her to label the work as being done thru such and such company. everything in my folio now that came from my current employers has a copyright symbol and their name beside it just to cover my ass.
- ********0
sadly, if she signed anything, she is out of luck.
- taragee0
yeah :( NEVER SIGN ANYTHING !!! ESPECIALLY WORK FOR HIRE!!!
- wendell0
i would have been good to be in the room whne that came on, i mean, is it not great in american films when a facher busineesman says to other person 'i am going to sue youre ass'-'get mean on youre ass'-i'll sue youre godamm ass you putz'!! cool, see you in cort!!
- k0na_an0k0
she may get away with stating exactly what she did and who she did the work through. i'd say be cool with the firm and ask them what it is she can do aside from taking it down. maybe ask them if she can refer to the work in a different manner.
- CX0
I just put employer: instead of client: on the descr. If it looks like a studio site I can see why they may care.
If that doesnt work maybe you can still use it but password protect the section and only send it to prospective employers, etc?
- BonSeff0
fuck that, leave it up. if they actuall file papers then take it down. chances are they wont hire a lawyer to sue. they might have a lawyer send you a letter threatening you with legal-eze
but if she did the design work she should show it off on her terms.
- bostonflash0
FUUUCKKKK THEM!!!
- Redmond0
I'd go with keeping my cool and discussing it with the agency.
- jevad0
yeah - be mature and professional about it...see where that gets you.
If it doesn't work firebomb their offices.
- paulrand0
don't most designer's portfolio sites include work they designed while employed by other comapnies?
- kerus0
If it was done through an agency who pitched a client etc, even though the work was 100% done by then, I could see the agency being pissed for getting no credit unless the person is some big time Creative Director or something.
- gravityroom0
Actually, depending on what this portfolio contains... the clients own the work NOT the former studio.
If I were her, I'd call the clients, explain why she wants to use it, get permission, and then tell the former studio where to stick it...
- mitsurugi0
thanks people. actually she worked for a branding/annual report house. all the work she's showing is also branding and annual related.
her options are either
1) get sued
2) password protect
3) tag the work as "property of... or work designed by/for etc.thanks for your help.
- nosaj0
If you were an employee of the studio, they own all your work created while you were there (unless stated otherwise in your contract). Only if you were a contract worker would you own the work. As for contacting the client, it doesn't matter what they say, it's not their call as to who has the legal right to the credit for creating the work.
- Bluejam0
The agency she worked at might have had to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement with the client in which case even adding the agency name to the work is not allowed nor showing it.
This could hurt the agency (lose client) so password protect might be the way to go...