In a recent dispute over legal fees, US District Court Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles sided with Clare Locke, affirming an arbitrator’s decision that the law firm was owed $7 million by a former client, Kytch Inc. Bloomberg Law reported. The arbitrator’s order mandated freezing of funds from a prospective multimillion-dollar settlement between McDonald’s Corp. and…
In a recent trade secrets dispute involving two trash compacting companies, the Delaware Supreme Court heard arguments over whether a defendant who faced years-long litigation deserves to have his legal costs covered by another party. Kevin McLaren, a defendant in the dispute and a college friend of Dumpster Devil’s founder Todd Perri, saw all the…
The US Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent enactment against employer noncompete agreements may result in an increase in patent filings and trade secrets litigation. Evidently, this move is a consequence of companies’ strategies to fortify their intellectual property rights, particularly against employees who depart their workforces. As announced on April 23rd, the FTC’s final rule…
A recent report by LexisNexis’ CounselLink paints an interesting picture for legal professionals, finding that average law firm partner billing rates saw an increase of 5.4% in 2023. This uptick further highlights the dynamic and rapidly evolving legal landscape that corporations and law firms continue to navigate. In a separate development, a federal jury in…
A Colorado federal jury has recently dismissed the allegations of a former in-house attorney against Loeb & Loeb LLP and one of its former partners. The plaintiff accused them of acting egregiously by filing a lawsuit against him, alleging theft of trade secrets, on behalf of a medical device company where he was previously employed….
In a recent legal development, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani for the District of Massachusetts reversed a $1 million exemplary damages award related to the misappropriation of trade secrets, taking into consideration the covert acts of an employee who acted surreptitiously beyond simple job hunting. The case involved a former employee, Parzych, who was accused…
Given the lingering increase in layoffs from last year, companies reducing their workforce face the risk of unauthorized disclosure or use of trade secrets and other confidential business information. Proactively safeguarding these secrets and information is crucial in these circumstances, as it can be challenging to remedy disclosures after the fact. Based on recent reports,…
Prominent law firm, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, is currently contesting an application filed by anonymous former partners to disclose a contractual arbitration award given to a past co-chair of the enterprise’s appellate practice. A major concern raised by the ongoing litigation is the protection of critical trade secrets. These sealed documents purportedly contain information…
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is set to cast a vote next week on the final rule aiming to ban noncompete clauses in employment contracts. The vote will conclude a robust conversation around the controversial topic, with the FTC having previously received more than 26,000 comments on the draft rule it released the previous…
In a recent and potentially influential case, a law firm well-versed in cryptocurrency taxation has brought a trade secrets suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. This litigation is directed against another law firm and a previous employee. The accusations center around allegations of the inappropriate use of the plaintiff’s…
In recent developments, a former Morgan Stanley banker, penalized in a pivotal block-trading investigation that shook Wall Street, has moved to a firm that was privy to confidential data he had leaked. The unscrupulous disclosure of privileged information in the banking sector, particularly within large financial corporations like Morgan Stanley, is concerning for many legal…
In a significant development in the ongoing legal saga involving Hytera Communications and Motorola Solutions, an Illinois federal judge has come down hard on the former, imposing a substantial daily fine of $1 million. The fine and additional stern contempt sanctions are in response to Hytera’s alleged violation of the court’s orders, which had explicitly…
In a significant decision pertaining to non-compete agreements and protection of trade secrets, a BigLaw recruiter has been found liable for over $6 million. The ruling, delivered by the Fifth Circuit, holds the recruiter responsible for theft of trade secrets and breaching a noncompete agreement with the former employer. The court determined that client information…
In recent news, ArentFox Schiff LLP has made a significant change in its firm structure. The leader of the trust and estate disputes practice and a co-leader of trade secrets, noncompetes, and employee mobility group are joining forces to oversee the complex litigation practice. ArentFox Schiff LLP, renowned for its competent legal advisory services, continues…
The prominent law firm, Blank Rome, has recently bolstered its corporate litigation group in Chicago with the recruitment of two renowned partners, Daniel R. Saeedi and Rachel L. Schaller, as announced by the firm. Saeedi and Schaller bring considerable expertise to the firm. Their litigation practice spans a range of sectors including class action lawsuits,…
In some recent news from the legal world, it seems that realization rates are notably dropping across Biglaw, intriguingly suggesting a state of abundant resources for some in the sector. American Lawyer provides more insights on this trend. Aside from Biglaw, the state of politics and its influence on legal matters continues to draw attention….
Recent developments by federal authorities point towards a framework for corporate enforcement that prioritizes individual accountability, incentivizes whistleblowers, focuses on national security risks, and addresses potential pitfalls of artificial intelligence (AI). The Department of Justice (DOJ) has clearly stated its emphasis on individual accountability. Both Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco…
Legal professionals need to be alerted to the most recent moves made within patent litigation, specifically regarding the aspects of transparency. The catalyst for this notification is the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) seeking to join a particular East Texas lawsuit, currently embroiled over cable-internet technology. This action is part of the organization’s ongoing endeavor to…
In a recent development that has sent ripples through the global corporate legal community, U.S. prosecutors accuse two owners of a Chinese company of stealing proprietary technology from Tesla Inc. and integrating it into their own business. This charge was laid out in a detailed complaint unsealed in Brooklyn this Tuesday. Despite Tesla’s identity being…
In a recent case illustrating the risks posed by trade secret theft, chipmaker Nvidia found itself in a lawsuit lodged by Valeo, an automotive tech firm. Valeo accuses Nvidia of benefiting from its top-secret research, knowledge of which came to light in an unexpected way. During a video call between the two firms, an Nvidia…
Changes are afoot within the field of forensic algorithmic application in the United States. Notably, the proposed Justice in Forensic Algorithms Act of 2024 has been reintroduced by two Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives. This significant legislation proposes, among other things, to provide defendants’ rights of access to algorithm-driven source codes utilized…
Ogletree Deakins has announced on Monday the addition of Harris Freier as a shareholder for their Morristown, New Jersey office. Bloomberg Law Automation reported this development, noting that Freier specializes in various areas like restrictive covenants, discrimination, employee benefits, wage and hour, class action, and appellate matters. Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Freier served as…
A former Google employee, Linwei Ding, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly transferring sensitive Google artificial intelligence (AI) trade secrets and other confidential information to his personal account, according to information released by the Department of Justice (DOJ). The indictment comprises four counts of theft of trade secrets. Ding, a Chinese…
In a recent intellectual property theft case involving Analog Devices Inc. (ADI), a federal judge in Massachusetts chose to refer to ADI’s hiring of a high-priced Quinn Emanuel attorney as tantamount to employing “a brain surgeon to pop a pimple.” This comment came as he denied an order for restitution for the incurred legal costs….
The world of legal work is often shrouded in secrecy. Legal professionals handle investigations of misconduct, shield trade secrets and fight insider trading. A significant part of their work involves maintaining a cloud of confidentiality that even a subpoena cannot pierce. This glimpses into the complicated nature of legal professions. However, an overreliance on Non-Disclosure…