The Sedona Conference’s working group on trade secrets has published the WG12 Commentary on Protecting Trade Secrets throughout the Employment Life Cycle. This publication focuses on the inherent potential tensions in the employer-employee relationship, when it comes to trade secret: Trade secrets cannot exist without the work of employees, cannot be protected without the efforts of employees, and would rarely be compromised or lost without the conduct of employees.

The Commentary addresses this issue through a chronological view of the employment relationship, from the recruiting and onboarding, to the period of employment, to the offboarding, and back to the onboarding.

Robert Milligan—Seyfarth partner and co-chair of the firm’s Trade Secrets, Computer Fraud & Non-Competes practice—served as a member of the Sedona Conference Working Group 12 Trade Secrets Advisory Working Committee, co-leads the Employee Life Cycle subgroup, and is a Senior Editor for the Commentary on Protecting Trade Secrets throughout the Employment Life Cycle.

Download the Commentary on The Sedona Conference website.