Meritas Capability Webinar - California’s Prohibition Against Non-Compete Agreements (B&P Code § 16600), the Protection of Trade Secrets and the Practical Relationship Between the Two
Zynga May Shed Light on Its Own Practices in Going After Former Employee for Trade Secrets Theft
On April 22, 2025, the Tenth Circuit affirmed summary judgment in favor of a sales manager and his new employer on claims under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (“DTSA”), the Oklahoma Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“OUTSA”), and...more
For companies, maintaining a competitive advantage over the market is necessary for long-term growth. In many cases, this competitive advantage takes the form of a federal- or state-protected trade secret, such as a...more
Welcome to WilmerHale’s bulletin on recent trade secret case law and relevant news items. We’ve affectionately nicknamed it “Readily Ascertainable” because, unlike a trade secret, it should be easy to figure out....more
A temporary restraining order (“TRO”) followed by a preliminary injunction is often essential for a company to maintain the trade secrets status of its information that is being misappropriated. Typically, once the...more
Understanding the definition of a trade secret under federal law is crucial for businesses looking to protect their valuable information. Trade secrets are also defined by state law. While there is no single, universal...more
On April 22, the Federal Trade Commission issued its final “Non-Compete Clause Rule” which bans most non-competes in the United States. It will become effective 120 days after it is published in the Federal Register....more
Has Arkansas adopted the Model Uniform Trade Secrets Act? Yes, but with modifications. We refer to this as the Arkansas Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“AUTSA”) and it can be found at Ark. Code Ann. § 4-75-601, et seq. S ome...more
The 2016 enactment of the Defend Trade Secrets Act (“DTSA”) has led to an increase in trade secret litigation. The DTSA codified into federal law the right of an owner of a trade secret to sue in federal court when its trade...more
Enforceability of releases for unknown claims at the time of settlement is a well-established legal principle, as highlighted in the recent case, arrivia Inc. v. Rowley, No. CV-23-01039-PHX-DLR, 2023 WL 7386384 (D. Ariz. Nov....more
Last month, Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Vital”), the manufacturer of the Bang energy drink, fell short in its post-trial challenge to a “monster” jury award in favor of Monster Energy Company (“Monster”). ...more
In a late-March 2023 decision out of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, a court denied a plaintiff's request for attorneys' fees against a defendant who filed "objectively specious" counterclaims...more
In recent years, juries have returned verdicts in trade secret disputes of $2.04 billion, $570 million, $152 million, and $105 million. The enormity of these verdicts reflect the importance the modern economy places on trade...more
Congratulations! Your startup is developing a revolutionary product or service that has the potential to transform an industry. Whatever the nature of that new product or service, at its core is an innovation – perhaps an...more
A recent decision from the Eastern District of California illustrates the sometimes fine line between the need for plaintiffs to allege a claim for trade secret misappropriation in sufficient detail, while avoiding disclosing...more
A trade secret derives its value by being kept secret, yet a trade secret owner is required to identify its trade secret at some point during litigation to apprise the defendant as to what information was allegedly...more
When filing a claim for trade secret misappropriation under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) or a state’s Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA), it is essential to strike the proper balance between sufficiently describing an...more
On May 11, 2016, the Defend Trade Secrets Act (“DTSA”) was signed into law with sweeping bipartisan support, passing unanimously in the Senate, and by a vote of 410-2 in the House. In the current political climate, passing...more
Just five years ago, on May 11, 2016, President Obama signed the Defend Trade Secrets Act (the “DTSA”). This important legislation created a new, federal civil cause of action for trade secret misappropriation. The DTSA...more
When trade secret lawyers advise executives transitioning to a job with a competitor, they typically tell them to “take nothing with you” on the way out – meaning that no confidential, proprietary or trade secret information...more
What companies need to know as disputes grow larger, more frequent - Given the primacy of technology to the operation of the global economy, it should come as no surprise that jury awards in trade secret disputes are...more
Whether under the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (“DTSA”) or under state law uniform trade secrets acts (“UTSA”), assessing monetary damages in trade secret misappropriation cases is rarely easy. By definition, trade...more
This week, the Ninth Circuit resolves a novel question about continuing violations under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, and invalidates an agency’s conclusion that computer programmers are not entitled to “specialty...more
Courts often require a plaintiff to identify a trade secret with reasonable particularity before commencing discovery (and it is a statutory obligation in California). But frequently a trade-secret plaintiff does not know...more
The MUTSA became effective on October 1, 2018. It largely tracks the language of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA). In a case of first impression, the District of Massachusetts considered whether the recently enacted...more
One of the first elements that a plaintiff must prove to succeed on a trade secret claim is that it is the owner of a valid trade secret. To do so, the law generally imposes a burden on plaintiffs to identify its trade...more