What protects a company knowledge base in law
15 provisions of US and UK law on who owns and what protects a company's written knowledge, each quoted from the statute, the court or the authority's own page, read 27 October 2026.
Whose law it is
What the provision settles
The rule, in its own words
Every answer from every provision
Every row is a single provision, and every answer expands to the wording it was taken from, the page it came from and when it was read. "Not stated" is used when the page says nothing on the point.
| Provision | Whose law it is | What the provision settles | The rule, in its own words |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 U.S.C. 201(b) | the United States | who first owns pages written at work | unless the parties have expressly agreed otherwise in a written instrument signed by… |
| 17 U.S.C. 204(a) | the United States | how ownership moves to the company | is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or such owner’s duly… |
| 18 U.S.C. 1836(b) | the United States | when documentation is a trade secret | is related to a product or service used in, or intended for use in, interstate or foreign… |
| 18 U.S.C. 1839(3) | the United States | when documentation is a trade secret | the information derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being… |
| CDPA 1988 s. 11(2) | the United Kingdom | who first owns pages written at work | his employer is the first owner of any copyright in the work subject to any agreement to… |
| CDPA 1988 s. 29A | the United Kingdom | an exception that lets others copy it | the copy is made in order that a person who has lawful access to the work may carry out a… |
| CDPA 1988 s. 3A | the United Kingdom | what a collection of facts or a database gets | by reason of the selection or arrangement of the contents of the database the database… |
| CDPA 1988 s. 90(3) | the United Kingdom | how ownership moves to the company | An assignment of copyright is not effective unless it is in writing signed by or on… |
| Copyright Office Circular 30 | the United States | who first owns pages written at work | work is considered the author and copyright owner. |
| Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 13 | the United Kingdom | what a collection of facts or a database gets | it is immaterial whether or not the database or any of its contents is a copyright work |
| Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 14 | the United Kingdom | who first owns pages written at work | the person who takes the initiative in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of… |
| Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 17 | the United Kingdom | what a collection of facts or a database gets | Database right in a database expires at the end of the period of fifteen years |
| Feist v. Rural (1991) | the United States | what a collection of facts or a database gets | These choices as to selection and arrangement, so long as they are made independently by… |
| GOV.UK, sui generis database rights | the United Kingdom | what a collection of facts or a database gets | UK databases created before 1 January 2021 will continue to be protected in the EU and… |
| Trade Secrets Regulations 2018, reg. 2 | the United Kingdom | when documentation is a trade secret | has commercial value because it is secret, and |
Quoted wording for all 45 answers
- 17 U.S.C. 201(b), 17 U.S. Code 201, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
Section 201(b) of the bill adopts one of the basic principles of the present law
- 17 U.S.C. 201(b), 17 U.S. Code 201, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
In the case of a work made for hire, the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared is considered the author for purposes of this title
- 17 U.S.C. 201(b), 17 U.S. Code 201, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
unless the parties have expressly agreed otherwise in a written instrument signed by them, owns all of the rights comprised in the copyright.
- 17 U.S.C. 204(a), 17 U.S. Code 204, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
17 U.S. Code § 204 - Execution of transfers of copyright ownership
- 17 U.S.C. 204(a), 17 U.S. Code 204, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
A transfer of copyright ownership, other than by operation of law, is not valid unless an instrument of conveyance
- 17 U.S.C. 204(a), 17 U.S. Code 204, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or such owner’s duly authorized agent.
- 18 U.S.C. 1836(b), 18 U.S. Code 1836, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
18 U.S. Code § 1836 - Civil proceedings
- 18 U.S.C. 1836(b), 18 U.S. Code 1836, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
that is misappropriated may bring a civil action under this subsection if the
- 18 U.S.C. 1836(b), 18 U.S. Code 1836, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
is related to a product or service used in, or intended for use in, interstate or foreign commerce.
- 18 U.S.C. 1839(3), 18 U.S. Code 1839, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
18 U.S. Code § 1839 - Definitions
- 18 U.S.C. 1839(3), 18 U.S. Code 1839, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
thereof has taken reasonable measures to keep such information secret; and
- 18 U.S.C. 1839(3), 18 U.S. Code 1839, Cornell LII, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
the information derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable through proper means by, another person
- CDPA 1988 s. 11(2), Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, Section 11.
- CDPA 1988 s. 11(2), Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
is made by an employee in the course of his employment, his employer is the first owner of any copyright in the work subject to any agreement to the contrary.
- CDPA 1988 s. 11(2), Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
his employer is the first owner of any copyright in the work subject to any agreement to the contrary.
- CDPA 1988 s. 29A, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 29A, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
- CDPA 1988 s. 29A, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 29A, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
may carry out a computational analysis of anything recorded in the work for the sole purpose of research for a non-commercial purpose
- CDPA 1988 s. 29A, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 29A, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
the copy is made in order that a person who has lawful access to the work may carry out a computational analysis of anything recorded in the work
- CDPA 1988 s. 3A, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 3A, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
- CDPA 1988 s. 3A, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 3A, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
In this Part “database” means a collection of independent works, data or other materials which
- CDPA 1988 s. 3A, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 3A, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
by reason of the selection or arrangement of the contents of the database the database constitutes the author’s own intellectual creation.
- CDPA 1988 s. 90(3), Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 90, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
- CDPA 1988 s. 90(3), Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 90, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
An assignment of copyright is not effective unless it is in writing signed by or on behalf of the assignor.
- CDPA 1988 s. 90(3), Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 90, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
An assignment of copyright is not effective unless it is in writing signed by or on behalf of the assignor.
- Copyright Office Circular 30, Works made for hire, U.S. Copyright Office, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
To register a work with the U.S. Copyright Office
- Copyright Office Circular 30, Works made for hire, U.S. Copyright Office, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
A work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment
- Copyright Office Circular 30, Works made for hire, U.S. Copyright Office, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
work is considered the author and copyright owner.
- Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 13, Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 13, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
There are currently no known outstanding effects for The Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, Section 13.
- Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 13, Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 13, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
A property right (“database right”) subsists, in accordance with this Part, in a database if there has been a substantial investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of the database.
- Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 13, Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 13, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
it is immaterial whether or not the database or any of its contents is a copyright work
- Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 14, Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 14, read 2026-10-27, Whose law it is:
There are currently no known outstanding effects for The Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, Section 14.
- Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 14, Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 14, read 2026-10-27, What the provision settles:
Where a database is made by an employee in the course of his employment, his employer shall be regarded as the maker of the database, subject to any agreement to the contrary.
- Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 14, Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 14, read 2026-10-27, The rule, in its own words:
the person who takes the initiative in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of a database and assumes the risk of investing in that obtaining, verification or presentation shall be regarded as the maker of
- Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 17, Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 17, read 2026-10-27, Whose law it is:
There are currently no known outstanding effects for The Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, Section 17.
- Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 17, Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 17, read 2026-10-27, What the provision settles:
Database right in a database expires at the end of the period of fifteen years from the end of the calendar year in which the making of the database was completed.
- Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 17, Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 17, read 2026-10-27, The rule, in its own words:
Database right in a database expires at the end of the period of fifteen years
- Feist v. Rural (1991), Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service, 499 U.S. 340, read 2026-10-27, Whose law it is:
The 1976 Act explains that copyright extends to "original works of authorship," 17 U.S.C. § 102(a), and that there can be no copyright in facts, § 102(b).
- Feist v. Rural (1991), Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service, 499 U.S. 340, read 2026-10-27, What the provision settles:
The first is that facts are not copyrightable; the other, that compilations of facts generally are.
- Feist v. Rural (1991), Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service, 499 U.S. 340, read 2026-10-27, The rule, in its own words:
These choices as to selection and arrangement, so long as they are made independently by the compiler and entail a minimal degree of creativity, are sufficient
- GOV.UK, sui generis database rights, Sui generis database rights, GOV.UK guidance, read 2026-10-08, Whose law it is:
Sui generis database rights in the UK
- GOV.UK, sui generis database rights, Sui generis database rights, GOV.UK guidance, read 2026-10-08, What the provision settles:
Database rights protect the contents of a database. A database does not have to be original for it to qualify for database rights
- GOV.UK, sui generis database rights, Sui generis database rights, GOV.UK guidance, read 2026-10-08, The rule, in its own words:
UK databases created before 1 January 2021 will continue to be protected in the EU and vice-versa.
- Trade Secrets Regulations 2018, reg. 2, Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018, regulation 2, read 2026-10-27, Whose law it is:
There are currently no known outstanding effects for The Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018, Section 2.
- Trade Secrets Regulations 2018, reg. 2, Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018, regulation 2, read 2026-10-27, What the provision settles:
has been subject to reasonable steps under the circumstances, by the person lawfully in control of the information, to keep it secret
- Trade Secrets Regulations 2018, reg. 2, Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018, regulation 2, read 2026-10-27, The rule, in its own words:
has commercial value because it is secret, and
How this was built
Each provision's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages were read through estate-fetch and stored whole (sha256 on every row).
For every page, three questions were answered from its own words: whose law it is, what the provision settles, the rule, in its own words.
Every stated answer carries the sentence it rests on, checked against the stored text; 'not stated' means the page read does not address the question.
A provision with several pages reads 'varies' where they disagree.
15 provisions, 15 pages.
Source list (15)
- U.S. Copyright Office Circular 30: works made for hire (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- 17 U.S.C. 201: ownership of copyright (works made for hire) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- 17 U.S.C. 204: execution of transfers of copyright ownership (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- 18 U.S.C. 1839: definitions, 'trade secret' (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- 18 U.S.C. 1836: civil proceedings for trade secret misappropriation (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service, 499 U.S. 340 (1991) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- CDPA 1988 s. 11: first ownership of copyright (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- CDPA 1988 s. 3A: databases (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- CDPA 1988 s. 90: assignment and licences (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- CDPA 1988 s. 29A: copies for text and data analysis for non-commercial research (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997 reg 13: database right (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997 reg 14: the maker of a database (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997 reg 17: duration of database right (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018 reg 2: definitions (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
- GOV.UK: sui generis database rights (cited for reporting; the publisher's own statutes, a court ruling and copyright authority pages)
Cite it or embed it
15 provisions of US and UK law on who owns and what protects a company's written knowledge, each quoted from the statute, the court or the authority's own page, read 27 October 2026.
Whose law it is, by provision: the United Kingdom 9 of 15, the United States 6 of 15 (15 provisions, read 27 October 2026).
What the provision settles, by provision: what a collection of facts or a database gets 5 of 15, who first owns pages written at work 4 of 15, when documentation is a trade secret 3 of 15, how ownership moves to the company 2 of 15, an exception that lets others copy it 1 of 15 (15 provisions, read 27 October 2026).
The rule, in its own words, by provision: stated 15 of 15 (15 provisions, read 27 October 2026).
Suggested citation: "What protects a company knowledge base in law", updated 2026-10-27, https://sellknowledgebasetoai.com/datasets/knowledge-base-legal-protection/.
The data as a CSV (45 answers, worked out 2026-10-27)