Screw legal measures. Unless you have the capability to sustain it for years and go all the way with your actions. Not kidding when I say years. Just want to emphasize that.

We always deal with assholes by controlling our IP prior to release of source. It is the only leverage we have sans legal protection.

And it’s the fastest. So… who controls the code? As in, the repo? The server?

That would get the speediest results. That, to me, is how you use your capability as an engineer in the business world.