Trade Secrets

The difference between success and failure in the fiercely competitive world of business and commerce can come down to a unique idea, innovation, formula, strategy, or process. It is paramount that businesses protect this information and secure its confidentiality to ensure it does not end up in the hands of the competition.

Businesses oftentimes find themselves dealing with security breaches in which the very information that serves as their foundation and competitive advantage are at risk, have been threatened, or have been unlawfully appropriated.

The misappropriation of trade secrets occurs when trade secrets are acquired through breach of a confidential relationship or by other improper means, such as theft, wiretapping, or even espionage. For example, employees have a duty not to use confidential, proprietary, or trade secret information in a manner adverse to their employer. When an employee is provided with the recipe for an employer’s “secret sauce” and then disseminates that information to others—or perhaps even worse, uses it to start or benefit a competitive business—the potential harm can be devastating.

Additional Trade Secrets Information