@Bullseyed

"Most standard contracts in the US for coders or engineers also say that any intellectual property you develop while being employed by company X belong to company X. See the case of the "Bratz" dolls. Some guy who worked for Barbie developed them in his spare time, and Mattel got full rights to the product for free."

Um not true .

Mattel had sued smaller rival MGA Entertainment over the design rights to the edgy and multiethnic Bratz doll, seeking as much as $1.8 billion in damages. Since their 2001 debut, the pouty-lipped, big-headed Bratz dolls have been eating into sales of Mattel's iconic Barbie.

In mid-July, the jury in a Riverside, Calif., court decided that designer Carter Bryant had created the majority of MGA's Bratz doll design drawings, prototypes and sculpts while he was still employed at Mattel. Bryant reached a separate settlement with Mattel Terms were not disclosed.

It also was determined that MGA and its Chief Executive Isaac Larian intentionally interfered with contractual duties that Bryant owed to Mattel and converted property for its use.

In the end, the jury awarded $90 million for the claims against MGA and Larian and $10 million for copyright infringement against MGA and Larian.

MGA sued Mattel first. Then Mattel counter sued .