protecting trade secrets in the current economy - trade secret misappropriation
TRANSCRIPT
PROTECTING TRADE SECRETS IN THE CURRENT ECONOMY
BY:KIRBY DRAKE
Trade Secrets
• Protection extends to confidential information that gives a company a competitive edge
• No formal registration requirement• Balancing test
Trade Secrets
• Disclosure may destroy protection• Trade secrets usually endure as long as
the information is kept secret
Trade Secrets
Commercial Life of Product
Reverse Engineering
Independent Development
Tipping Off Competitors
Type of Subject Matter/Industry
Ease of Keeping Secret
Time Needed to Obtain Patent
Economic Effects
Trade Secrets Considerations
• Non-exclusive rights• Independent development not
actionable• Must breach non-disclosure obligation
or obtain trade secret via improper means to be actionable
Trade Secrets Considerations
• Commercial life of product• Economic considerations
• Patents may give a signal that IP was created – good for future investments, competitive positioning
• Less upfront investment to maintain as trade secret but loss may be financially devastating
The Overlap – Patents and Trade Secrets
• Innovations protectable with patents or trade secrets
• Cannot usually protect same innovation by both patents and trade secrets
Patent?
Trade Secret?
Both?
Neither?
What Is Protectable as a Trade Secret?
• Manufacturing processes• Ideas• Manufacturing drawings• Software• Chemical formulae and processes
Examples of Possible Trade Secrets
Customer Lists Know-How
Pricing Information Negative Know-How
Product Technical Specs
Computer Hardware
Marketing Plans Computer Software
Business Methods Chemical Formulae
Effects of Trade Secret Disclosure
• Claim for Trade Secret Misappropriation• Preliminary Injunction• Reassignment of Patent• Destruction of Trade Secret Protection
Remedies
• Injunctive relief• Monetary damages (royalty)• Attorneys’ fees• Punitive damages
Damages Remedies for Misappropriation of Trade Secrets
• Remedies are state-specific (whether in federal or state court), though most have some version of the UTSA and include:
1. Actual loss by plaintiff• Lost profits• Out-of-pocket expenses• Loss-in-value of business or trade
secrets• Other losses (consequential)
Damages for Trade Secret Misappropriation
2.Alternatively, or in addition, to actual loss • Unjust enrichment by the defendant
• Defendant’s profits• Market value of misappropriated trade secrets• Cost savings or value of “head start” benefit
gained by defendant
3.Alternatively…• Reasonable royalty for use of trade secrets• Use of patent damages construct
Damages MatrixAmount
High $1,606,784
Low $580,806
Plaintiff's Salary Adjustments $55,365
Individual Defendants': Plaintiff's Partial Salary $216,670
Lost Plaintiff Training Investment $52,720
Lost Plaintiff Business Development Investment $221,661
Loss in Value $1,606,784
Reasonable Royalty $779,090
Defendant's Unjust Enrichment: Profits $1,446,106
Individual Defendants' Profits: Defendant's Salary $690,939
Defendant's Avoided Cost: Training Expense $63,833
Defendant's Avoided Cost: Business Development Expense $484,121
DamageA
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Plaintiff's Lost Profits
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Damages MatrixClaim 1 - Breach of Contract
Claim 2 - Tortious
InterferenceClaim 3 -
Conversion
Claim 4 - Misappropriation
of Conf Info & Trade Secrets
Claim 5 - Unauthorized Possession of
Computer InfoPlaintiff's Lost Profits 6,934,721$ 6,934,721$ 6,934,721$ Defendant's Profits 2,243,044$ 2,243,044$ Individual Defs' Profits: Salary @ Def 363,114$ 363,114$ Individual Defs' Profits: Salary @ Pl 110,159$ Actual Loss: Software Costs 1,790,444$ 1,790,444$ 1,790,444$ Loss/Avoided Cost: R&D Expense 324,342$ 324,342$ 324,342$ Loss/Avoided Cost: Marketing Expense 281,468$ 281,468$ 281,468$ Actual Loss: Training Investment Cost 550,413$ 550,413$ Actual Loss: New Employee Cost 154,879$ Reasonable Royalty @ 10% 2,425,746$
Co-defendant employees with various NDA, non-compete, and non-solicit agreements went to work for a competitor B and used their former employer A’s proprietary customer database with B’s consent to sell business to A’s customers
DuPont, Competitor, and Employees
• DuPont lawsuit against former employee• DuPont lawsuit against Invista• Invista lawsuit against DuPont partner• DuPont lawsuit against Kolon Industries
Coca-Cola and Pepsi
• Coca-Cola sued former employee for trade secret misappropriation (formula for Coke)
• Former employee had offered knowledge of formula to Pepsi but Pepsi did not use
The New Economy – Trade Secrets
• Opting for trade secret protection in lieu of other forms of intellectual property protection
• Rise of trade secret audits• Increased enforcement of non-competes
and NDAs• Modifications to damages model in
litigation• Other considerations?