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A New Jersey district court judge recently declined to dismiss trade secret claims against the Weather Channel, finding that the plaintiff Events Media Network Inc. (“EMNI”) had alleged sufficient facts to state a claim of trade secret misappropriation under the Georgia Trade Secrets Act. 

The parties first entered into a licensing agreement in the spring of 2008.  EMNI agreed that …
Continue Reading Are Sunny Skies Ahead for Plaintiff After Clearing An Early Hurdle in A Trade Secret Case Involving Weather Service?

Does the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”) prohibit hacking–improperly gaining entrance into a computer system–or simply prohibit improper use of a computer system? U.S. Courts of Appeal are divided. Now, district and appellate court judges in a single federal case pending in the Northern District of California, U.S. v. Nosal, have produced several divergent opinions…
Continue Reading Recent California Federal Court Rulings Muddy the Interpretation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a Connecticut federal court’s order dismissing for lack of personal jurisdiction a Connecticut corporation’s complaint for misappropriation of trade secrets by a Canadian employee of the plaintiff’s Canadian subsidiary. The complaint alleged her knowledge that her employer’s emails were stored on its parent corporation’s servers in Waterbury, Connecticut. Therefore, the claim that…
Continue Reading Connecticut Court Has Jurisdiction Over Canadian Defendant Charged With Misappropriation of Canadian Company’s Trade Secret Emails

By Joshua Salinas and Jessica Mendelson

The secret is out, Tic Tacs and bubblegum have the most valuable and desirable real estate in the entire grocery store.

On September 27, 2012, a district court for the Eastern District of New York granted in part and denied in part a motion to dismiss in a commercial dispute arising out of the…
Continue Reading New York Federal Court Rejects Heightened Specificity Pleading Standard for Breach of Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Claim

MPI, a Texas company, went to Kentucky and allegedly attempted to hire two Luvata employees, Foster and Meredith. Foster joined MPI soon thereafter. Over the course of the next few months while Meredith remained a Luvata employee, he and Foster allegedly spoke by phone repeatedly. In addition, prior to leaving Luvata for MPI, Meredith allegedly copied his employer’s computer…
Continue Reading Despite Allegations That Something Fishy Was Occurring, Kentucky Federal District Court Rules That Texas Corporate Defendant Was Not Subject To Personal Jurisdiction In Trade Secret Misappropriation Suit

Last month we blogged about a district court for the Northern District of California that distinguished the Ninth Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Nosal decision and allowed an employer to bring a counterclaim under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”) against a former employee for alleged violations of a verbal computer access restriction. (Weingand v. Harland Financial Solutions,…
Continue Reading Update: California Federal District Court Reaffirms that Computer Fraud and Abuse Act Claims are Available for Violations of Employers’ “Access Restrictions” Despite Ninth Circuit’s Nosal Decision

By Robert Milligan and Jeffrey Oh

In business, as in life, trust and communication are key to healthy and productive relationships. When these crucial elements are lost, as in the case of What 4 LLC v. Roman & Williams, Inc., 2012 WL 1815629 (N.D.Cal.), the fallout is often contentious and requires court intervention.

In a recent decision granting in…

Continue Reading California Federal District Court Finds That Plaintiffs May Assert A Claim For Alleged Misleading Actions of Agent and Misuse of Confidential Information Not Rising To Level Of A Trade Secret In Youth Hostel Dispute

By Robert Milligan and Jeffrey Oh

In a recent federal case out of California, Judge Morrison C. England, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California examined the issue of personal jurisdiction in an international trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract dispute. The case, Vance’s Foods, Inc. v. Special Diets Europe Limited, et al.…

Continue Reading California Federal District Court Examines Personal Jurisdiction Issue in International Trade Secret Misappropriation and Breach of Contract Dispute and Maintains Suit Brought Against Irish Company and Owner

On April 25, 2012, a federal judge in North Carolina issued a ruling granting in part and denying in part motions to dismiss involving claims for trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract, and conversion in a dispute between two pharmaceutical companies in the case of River’s Edge Pharmaceuticals v. Gorbec Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. This decision confirms, to an extent, the need to…

Continue Reading North Carolina Federal District Court Confirms Importance of Alleging Actual Harm in Pleadings

By Robert Milligan and Jeffrey Oh

As part of the process of acquiring of a business and retaining key employees of the acquired business, multiple agreements surrounding the parameters and contingencies of the transaction are often drafted, including asset purchase agreements and employment agreements. These agreements sometimes overlap in scope and ensuring that all material aspects of the deal align in the documents is crucial in maintaining the effectiveness of any singular business transaction. In an order denying defendant’s motion to dismiss in a non-compete dispute involving a former key executive of the purchaser, the Honorable Judge R. Brooke Jackson of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado illustrated the importance of congruity within these sorts of agreements, particularly forum selection provisions. The bottom line is that special care needs to given in the drafting of these documents so that the non-compete provisions and forum selection provisions remain consistent.  

The case, Robert Stuart v. Marshfield Doorsystems, Inc. Civil Action No. 12-cv-00454-RBJ, 2012 WL 872766 (D. Colo. March 14, 2012), concerns a dispute over agreements signed during defendant’s acquisition of plaintiff’s company and retention of his employment services.  In 2004, Stuart and his business partner David Cox sold Consolidated Fiber, LLC, which deals in the manufacturing and selling of commercial and residential doors, to Marshfield Doorsystems. By the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement (“APA”), Stuart and Cox received $2 million each and agreed to stay with the company and sign separate employment agreements.  The APA included reference to unsigned employment agreements that were attached as exhibits and incorporated by reference.

The APA included a non-competition clause that barred them from joining a competing business for 24 months after the termination of their employment agreements. Additionally, the APA stipulated it would be governed by Delaware law, where Marshfield is incorporated, and that “any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to” the APA would be settled through arbitration in Chicago, IL. Any dispute not able to be settled through arbitration would then be settled in an applicable court in Chicago.

In concordance with the APA, Stuart signed an Employment Agreement with Marshfield that had him under contract for a five year “Initial Term.” Per the Employment Agreement’s “Renewal Terms” the contract was extended automatically at the end of the Initial Term for one year every year unless terminated by either party through 45 days advance notification. Stuart’s Employment Agreement contained a non-competition clause largely identical to the one found in the APA, but, in contrast with the APA, provided that any and all disputes “arising out of or related to” the Employment Agreement were to be resolved by a court trial without a jury. Moreover, the Employment Agreement contained a merger clause stating that it “merges and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous discussions, agreements and understandings of every nature between the parties hereto relating to…employment.” The APA and Employment Agreements were apparently executed on the same day.

After the Initial Term had passed, in addition to three subsequent Renewal Terms, Stuart informed Marshfield on January 9, 2012 that he intended to resign approximately four weeks later.  A few days after this, Stuart informed Marshfield that upon his departure, he would be joining TruStile Doors, LLC in Denver, CO.  Marshfield terminated Stuart’s employment on January 17, 2012 and cited the non-competition clauses of the APA and his Employment Agreement in insisting he quit his job with TruStile Doors, which Marshfield considers a competitor.  Marshfield also informed TruStile Doors of Stuart’s agreements and pressed them to terminate his employment.

On February 22, 2012, Stuart filed a complaint in federal court in Denver, Colorado against Marshfield seeking a declaration that the non-competition agreements are not enforceable, or that they were waived, or that they were not violated, as well as an injunction against Marshfield from interfering with his employment at TruStile Doors.  In response, Marshfield requested arbitration through the American Arbitration Association to settle the arbitrable aspects of the dispute in Chicago, per the APA. Marshfield also filed a complaint against Stuart in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, seeking an order from the court for arbitration as well an injunction barring Stuart from working at TruStile Doors. Similarly, Marshfield filed a motion to dismiss Stuart’s complaint filed in the Colorado federal action due to improper venue based on the forum selection clause found in the APA, as well as motion to transfer venue based upon forum non conveniens.…

Continue Reading Colorado Federal Court Decision In Non-Compete Dispute Demonstrates Importance Of Drafting Enforceable Forum Selection Provisions In Business Transactions