The “Work for Hire” doctrine is an important concept in the field of intellectual property rights (especially copyright), which determines who owns and who owns the rights to works produced for payment or contract for the performance of work. Although this doctrine developed mainly in US law, its influence is felt globally. In English law, copyright was primarily viewed as a personal right. Copyright belonged to the creator of the work, who had full rights over his work. However, the concept of the ownership of copyright by the employer (for example, work performed by an employee or employee) began to find its place in English law, especially for production and work performed under certain contracts. The following is an analysis of the main stages in the historical development of the work for hire doctrine.