Our Intellectual Property + Technology lawyers understand that for businesses to secure or maintain a competitive business advantage, their trade secrets must remain confidential. Trade secrets can involve key financial, technical, client, or business information, whether it is a new confidential manufacturing process, a secret formula, a restaurant chain’s recipe for a signature dessert, or computer technology. Like patents, trade secrets are property, and can be licensed or transferred. Proprietary information can be exposed by former employees, third parties given access, corporate espionage, or following the dissolution of a venture. Thieves also can target companies’ critical information through computer hacking. We advise on the establishment of trade secret programs and non-disclosure agreements, and counsel clients on how best to protect their trade secrets. For victims of trade secret theft, we pursue restraining orders, injunctions, and when needed, litigation to protect information and enforce their rights in court, securing relief or damages. We also defend employees who have been accused of misappropriating trade secrets. Our lawyers have extensive knowledge of all relevant civil and criminal laws, including the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Economic Espionage Act, and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Defense of former employee in lawsuit alleging misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of noncompetition agreement. Plaintiff dismissed claims on eve of trial.
Obtained preliminary injunction precluding former employee from competing with our client and using our client's trade secrets.
Represented defendant employer in a frequently-cited noncompetition case. Successfully shielded our client from repeated motions seeking to prevent defendant from working for our client.
Representation of client in a fraud, trade secret misappropriation, and breach of contract case in federal court that involved parallel processing computer technology used for speech recognition applications.