Tuesday, February 20, 2024
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Central
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Mountain
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific

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About the Program

In the ever-evolving digital landscape as well as legislative and regulatory changes and proposed changes to the use of non-competes, the preservation of trade secrets stands as

Continue Reading Upcoming Webinar! Navigating the Intersection of Non-Compete Agreements and Employee Mobility

In 2023, Seyfarth’s Trade Secrets, Computer Fraud & Non-Compete practice group presented a series of dynamic and insightful CLE webinars, addressing pivotal challenges confronting businesses head-on. The breadth of our discussions encompassed a spectrum of critical topics:

  1. FTC Proposes Rule Banning Use of Non-Competes. Now What?
  2. 2022 Trade Secrets & Non-Competes Year in Review
  3. Commercial Litigation Outlook: Insights and Predictions for Litigation Trends in 2023
  4. NLRB and Restrictive Covenants: Trends in Employment Confidentiality
  5. Managing Trade Secrets in a Remote Work Environment
  6. What Employers Need to Know Regarding Non-Compete Changes in 2023

To conclude our impactful 2023 webinar series, we’ve carefully compiled key takeaways from each session. If you missed any sessions, recordings are available on our blog or through the provided links. We’re excited to share that Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit is attainable by watching the webinar recordings. For CLE credit inquiries, please email cle@seyfarth.com after viewing the webinar.Continue Reading 2023 Trade Secrets Webinar Series Recap: Key Takeaways and Access to Recordings

On July 10th, the European Commission issued its Implementing Decision regarding the adequacy of the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (“DPF”). The Decision has been eagerly awaited by US and Europe based commerce, hoping it will help business streamline cross-Atlantic data transfers, and by activists who have vowed to scrutinize the next framework arrangement (thereby maintaining their relevance). Regardless of the

Continue Reading Adequacy for the US (kind of) – But What Are the Side Effects?

The UK government has announced that it will bring in legislation to restrict the post-employment non-compete restraints to three months. This is a significant proposal as currently non-compete restrictions in the UK are generally capable of being enforced for a period up to 12 months (if they are “no more restrictive than is reasonably necessary to protect the employer’s legitimate

Continue Reading UK Government Moves to Limit Non-Competes
Seyfarth's Trade Secrets team recognized by World IP Review Global Trade Secrets Rankings

World IP Review included Seyfarth’s team in the first Global Trade Secrets Rankings, which was announced in 2023. The World IP Review Global Trade Secrets Rankings are based on feedback from the market and reflect the fact that trade secret issues are cross border, complex, and high value. Find more information on the World IP Review website.

Continue Reading Seyfarth’s Trade Secrets Group Earns New International Ranking

In the second annual installment of Seyfarth Shaw’s Commercial Litigation Outlook, our nationally-recognized team provides keen insights about what to expect in 2022. It will be a busy year that will call upon clients and their counsel to be flexible, creative, and proactive on many fronts.

As the pandemic morphs into an endemic, we are seeing overall litigation activity
Continue Reading Upcoming Webinar Series! Commercial Litigation Outlook: Insights and Predictions for Litigation Trends in 2022

Thursday, March 17, 2022
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mountain
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pacific

REGISTER HERE

Trade secrets are critical intellectual property, and the threat to trade secrets continues to increase year after year. It’s vital for companies to protect trade secrets, both in the US
Continue Reading Upcoming Webinar! Protecting Trade Secrets and Enforcing Restrictive Covenants Internationally

Continuing our annual tradition, we have compiled our top developments and headlines for 2019 & 2020 in trade secret, non-compete, and computer fraud law. Here’s what you need to know to keep abreast of the ever-changing law in this area.

1. Another Year, Another Attempt in Congress to Ban Non-Competes Nationwide

Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced legislation in 2019 entitled the Workforce Mobility Act (“WMA”). The WMA seeks to ban non-compete agreements outside of the sale of a business or dissolution of a partnership.

Not only would the WMA abolish covenants not to compete nationwide, outside of the extremely narrow exceptions highlighted above, but it would also provide the Department of Labor (DOL) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with broad enforcement power. If enacted, the legislation would empower the FTC and DOL to enforce the ban through fines on employers who either fail to notify employees that non-compete agreements are illegal or who require employees to sign covenants not to compete. Additionally, the WMA establishes a private right of action for all employees allegedly aggrieved by a violation of the WMA.

The WMA contains a carve out for parties to enter into an agreement to protect trade secrets. As currently drafted, the WMA does not abrogate the scope of protections provided by the Defend Trade Secrets Act.

Presently, there are no generally applicable federal restrictions on non-compete agreements, and enacting such a law would have to pass Constitutional muster. We expect to see continued activity at the federal legislative level to attempt to ban or limit the use of non-competes.

2. New State Legislation Regarding Restrictive Covenants

Continue Reading Top 10 Developments and Headlines in Trade Secret, Non-Compete, and Computer Fraud Law for 2019 & 2020

As a special feature of our blog—guest postings by experts, clients, and other professionals—please enjoy this blog entry from Donal O’Connell, Managing Director of Chawton Innovation Services Ltd.

One of the key pieces of legislation related to trade secrets in Russia is the Federal Law of July 29, 2004 on Commercial Secrecy. This was passed by the State Duma on July 9, 2004, and endorsed by the Federation Council on July 15, 2004.

This piece of legislation consists of the following articles or sections …

  • Goals and scope of this federal law
  • Laws of the Russian Federation on commercial secrecy
  • Basic notions used in this federal law (including the definition of a trade secret as well as some details on the handling of trade secrets in agreements)
  • Right to classify information as information constituting a commercial secret and methods of obtaining that information
  • Data that may not constitute a commercial secret (i.e. what information may not be considered as a trade secret)
  • Supply of information constituting a commercial secret (i.e. under what circumstances may a trade secret owner have to divulge the information)
  • Protection of the confidentiality of information
  • Protection of the confidentiality of information within the framework of employee or labour relations
  •  Protection of the confidentiality of information as it is passed over to for example state authorities
  • Responsibility for violation of this Federal law (i.e. the various penalties for misappropriation)
  • Responsibility for non-provision of information constituting a commercial secret to the state power bodies, other state authorities, bodies of local self-government

Definition of a Trade Secret

Continue Reading Trade Secret Law in Russia

Cross-posted from Workplace Law & Strategy blog.

When an ex-employee goes to a competitor or starts poaching clients or staff, employers often look to a restraint of trade clause to protect key business assets such as client relationships or company confidential information.

Often a quick decision needs to be made: apply to the Court to stop the ex-employee, or wait and sue for breach of contract damages at some later time. Wrapped up in this decision is the important issue of prospects of success—an employer will want to know there is a good chance of a successful outcome.
Continue Reading Will We Win? The Odds of Success in Restraint of Trade Cases