This post originally appeared in the June edition of Cyber Law & Strategy.
Somewhere today at least one data security breach is likely to happen. It might not have been publicized and may not have involved millions of records, but there is no doubt it will happen. That is because cybercrime remains one of the most common crimes in the world, and noncriminal exposures are fairly common as well. Continue Reading Security Breach Responses — As Important and Difficult As Ever
In Seyfarth’s third installment in its 2018 Trade Secrets Webinar Series, Seyfarth attorneys Kate Perrelli, Dawn Mertineit, Justin Beyer, and Andrew Stark focused on trade secret audits, with an emphasis on the importance of a proactive, systematic approach to assessing and protecting trade secret portfolios.
As a conclusion to this well-received webinar, we compiled a summary of takeaways:
Please join us for a one-hour CLE webinar on Tuesday, July 24, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern / 12:00 p.m. Central / 10:00 a.m. Pacific.
Trade secrets are critical intellectual property for most businesses. The threat to trade secrets, whether through cybersecurity or other issues, continues to increase year after year, especially with the increased use of cloud technology, social media, and the like. The alarming frequency of targeted data theft attacks leave a company’s trade secrets and confidential information vulnerable to outside threats.
In Seyfarth’s fourth installment in its 2018 Trade Secrets Webinar Series, Seyfarth attorneys Robert Milligan and Scott Atkinson, along with Center for Responsible Enterprise and Trade CEO Pamela Passman, will address the issue of cyber threats and cover the following topics:
The 2018 edition of The Legal 500 United States recommends Seyfarth Shaw’s Trade Secrets group as one of the best in the country. Nationally, for the third consecutive year, our Trade Secrets practice earned Top Tier.
Based on feedback from corporate counsel, Seyfarth partner Michael Wexler was ranked in the editorial’s “Leading Lawyers,” and Robert Milligan, Daniel Hart, Erik Weibust, and J. Scott Humphrey were also recommended in the editorial.
The Legal 500 United States is an independent guide providing comprehensive coverage on legal services and is widely referenced for its definitive judgment of law firm capabilities. The Legal 500 United States recognizes and rewards the best in-house and private practice teams and individuals over the past 12 months. The awards are given to the elite legal practitioners, based on comprehensive research into the U.S. legal market.
On Friday, May 18, Eric Barton participated in a panel discussion at the 2018 ITechLaw World Technology Conference, updating attorneys from around the globe on the latest developments in cyber vulnerabilities and crime. In today’s world, businesses and individuals face the certain knowledge that electronic systems are not entirely secure. Mr. Barton’s presentation provided “real world” guidance on how companies can encourage and promote innovation while still protecting their highly valuable trade secrets and intellectual property from both internal and external threats and attacks. Mr. Barton also detailed several recent cases that provide excellent guidance on how to best protect a company’s valuable information, as well as the impact that technological advancements have had on U.S. attorneys’ professional ethics requirements, as mandated by the ABA.
On the panel with Mr. Barton were Alexander Baranchikov, an IP attorney from Moscow, and Rodrigo Azevedo Pereira, an IP attorney from San Paulo, Brazil. Mr. Baranchikov provided an entertaining update on the latest data protection cases and developments in Russia, as well as a detailed synopsis of how the Russian legal system addresses and resolves IP claims. Mr. Pereira discussed the crisis management framework that attorneys should consider using when addressing an online or ransomware attack. Calling upon his extensive experience in crisis management work, Mr. Pereira detailed how to build a multifaceted team, as well as how to respond urgently and efficiently to limit PR damages.
A copy of Mr. Barton’s presentation is available here. The panel was extremely well received and the topics prompted various discussions among the participants. For any follow-up questions or information, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Barton directly at ebarton@seyfarth.com.
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.
An audit is the examination of a specific aspect of an organization, ideally by someone independent of that organization.
The purpose of an audit is to provide independent assurance that an organization’s management, governance, and processes are operating effectively and that any associated assets are being properly and professionally managed. Continue Reading Trade Secrets Audit
A recent California Court of Appeal decision held that the receipt, retention and dissemination of confidential information by a whistleblower’s attorney is protected by the state’s anti-SLAPP statute. MMM Holdings, Inc. v. Reich, 21 Cal. App. 5th 167 (2018).
In 2010, Jose “Josh” Valdez was promoted to president of MSO of Puerto Rico, Inc. (“MSO”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MMM Holdings, Inc. (“MMM”). MMM offers Medicare advantage health insurance plans in Puerto Rico and contracted with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Continue Reading California Court of Appeal Holds That Disclosure of Confidential Information Protected by Anti-SLAPP Statute
On Tuesday, August 14, 2018, Seyfarth Partner and Trade Secrets, Computer Fraud & Non-Compete Practice Group Co-Chair Robert Milligan is presenting a webinar focused on the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA). The Knowledge Group webinar, titled “Defend Trade Secrets Act Litigation in the 2018 Landscape: Understanding New Trends and Developments,” is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time and will cover the following topics:
For more information or to register for the webinar, click here.
Democratic U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced legislation on April 26, 2018, entitled the Workforce Mobility Act (“WMA”). Although the text of the WMA is not yet available, according to various press releases, it would prohibit the use of covenants not to compete nationwide. In Senator Warren’s press release announcing her co-sponsorship of the bill, Senator Warren stated that “[t]hese clauses reduce worker bargaining power, stifle competition and innovation, and hurt Americans striving for better opportunities. I’m glad to join Senator Murphy to put an end to these anti-worker, anti-market agreements.” Continue Reading Democratic U.S. Senators Seek to Abolish Non-Compete Agreements
Seyfarth attorneys Robert Milligan, Joshua Salinas, Amy Abeloff, and Olivia Wada contributed to this year’s ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law, Trade Secrets and Interferences with Contracts Committee Annual Trade Secret Law Report.
The Annual Report, found here, covers the significant trade secrets cases from around the country that were decided in 2017. The Report is a good resource for staying current in trade secrets developments and trends.