Trade Secrets

Members of our trade secrets practice group render comprehensive advice regarding internal protection of trade secrets and other types of confidential information. We work with clients to develop license agreements and confidentiality agreements with employees, suppliers and customers, and to develop internal procedures, security measures and other methodologies necessary to keep proprietary information confidential. We prepare confidentiality agreements to protect information disclosed to employees, consultants, independent contractors, and those contemplating mergers and acquisitions. We draft covenants for clients restricting competition and customer solicitation in the context of employment contracts and business acquisitions. We also defend allegations of trade secret theft and counsel our clients on steps they can take to avoid liability from the development of new products or the hiring employees from competitors. When there is a threat of misappropriation of proprietary information, we help our clients preserve their rights. We have extensive expertise in all phases of trade secrets litigation: investigations, injunctions, protective orders, discovery, motions practice, the successful trial to verdict of trade secret claims, and appeals.

• Successfully prosecuted a trade secrets case involving misappropriation of product concepts later patented by the defendant. The jury returned a verdict in our client’s favor, affirmed in a precedent-setting opinion from the Seventh Circuit.
• Represent our client in a suit filed to enjoin theft of its trade secrets and for damages in a breach of a supply agreement dispute against a Taiwanese company which contracted to manufacture our client’s products in China.
• Defeated a motion for summary judgment and five separate motions in limine in a pre-trial hearing in connection with a suit brought against our client’s former employee for breach of his non-competition provisions of his employment agreement, of trade secrets, and other contractual claims.