Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is representing the Regents of the University of California in a trade secrets dispute initiated by Jones Day on behalf of Agensys Inc. The complaint against UC Regents alleges that Norbert Peekhaus, a key researcher, unlawfully disclosed confidential information concerning cancer research. Peekhaus, who previously led a team at Agensys working…
In a major victory for the plaintiffs, Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP has secured an $81.3 million jury verdict against Boeing in a trade secret dispute. The case was brought on behalf of aircraft startup Zunum Aero Inc., which accused Boeing of misappropriating its proprietary technology. According to details shared by attorneys Scott Danner and…
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP has recently filed a trade secrets lawsuit against Uber Technologies, Inc., specific to its audiovisual-recording technology developed for rideshare safety. The complainant, Grip, alleges that Uber unlawfully utilized its software-based video recording solution, which was originally created to enhance the safety of rideshare passengers, particularly women and children. A spokesperson…
Buchalter has recently announced that Adam Doupé has joined its Seattle office as a shareholder with the firm’s litigation and health care practice groups. This strategic addition aims to strengthen Buchalter’s capabilities in handling diverse business and real estate litigation matters, including breach of contract cases, lease disputes, business tort cases, partnership disputes, and trade…
Trade secret protection has historically been a critical component for safeguarding a company’s competitive edge. Traditionally, firms have relied on non-competition clauses as a primary measure to shield proprietary information. However, with increasing scrutiny and legal challenges facing non-competition agreements, companies are now turning to alternative mechanisms to protect their trade secrets. These alternative measures…
Legal News In an increasingly competitive financial landscape, firms are turning to trade secrets litigation as a tool in the battle for top talent. This strategy gained attention recently when First Citizens Bank & Trust filed a $1 billion lawsuit in California against HSBC Holdings Plc. The crux of the legal skirmish centers around the…
In an interesting turn of events, a legal marketing business and an Arkansas law firm have reached an agreement to dismiss a lawsuit filed in a Georgia federal court. The legal marketing business had pinned the accusation on the law firm for alleged theft and wrongful profiteering from its trade secrets. The secrets in question…
An Eleventh Circuit panel questioned attorneys for competing shrimp breeders over a recent trade secrets case. At the heart of the matter is a $10 million jury verdict, which has come under scrutiny due to unusual circumstances related to the judges presiding over the case. Reports suggest that a federal district judge was presiding over…
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…