01042013Here are the noteworthy trade secret, non-compete and cybersecurity stories from the past week, as well as one or two that I missed over the past couple of weeks:

Trade Secret and Non-Compete Cases. Posts and Articles:

  • The reaction from the trade secret community to the recently-released Obama IP Strategy Report has been one of disappointment. Expectations soared after the Obama administration announced its trade secrets initiative in February but the recent Report barely mentions trade secrets.  In a post for Orrick’s Trade Secrets Watch, Michael Spillner notes the strategy’s need for a civil cause of action.  Likewise, Misty Blair of Seyfarth Shaw’s Trading Secrets Blog observes the Report’s failure to address trade secret protection more comprehensively as “a bit of a surprise.” 
  • “Illinois Appellate Court Requires Two Years of Employment for Postemployment Restrictive Covenants” reports Stacey Smiricky and Trina Taylor of Faegre Baker & Daniels for Lexology. Epstein Becker’s Trade Secrets & Noncompete Blog and Seyfarth Shaw’s Trading Secrets Blog also have posts on the decision.  And Kenneth Vanko unloads on the decision in his Legal Developments in Non-Competition Agreements Blog.
  • In “Contractual Override of Trade Secret Law,” Dennis Crouch details a recent Federal Circuit decision in his Patently-O Blog affirming a New York federal court’s holding that a non-disclosure agreement’s requirement that confidential information be specifically designated trumped state trade secret law holding otherwise. As a result of the plaintiff’s failure to designate the information as “confidential” under the NDA, the court applied California law and held the information could not qualify as a trade secret.  Lesson?  Don’t include this language in your NDA, because in my experience, parties rarely have the time (or inclination) to designate each and every piece of information as “confidential.”
  • “Are An Employer’s Business Plans Discoverable In Non-Compete Litigation?” asks Jason Cornell of Fox Rothschild about a case in Ohio for Mondaq.
  • “New Jersey Federal Court Allows Non-Party to Employment/Non-Compete Agreement to Invoke Arbitration Clause,” advises David Walsh for Jackson Lewis’ Non-Compete & Trade Secret Report Blog.
  • “China Worries Improve Prospects Of Trade Secrets Bill” reports Ryan Davis for Law360.
  • “Chemical, oil companies fear potential EPA rule will expose trade secrets” advises Julian Hattem for The Hill.
  • “Face It: Judges Sometimes Hate Competition Cases” delivers Kenneth Vanko in a bit of hard of truth in his Legal Developments in Non-Competition Agreements Blog.
  • “Answers To Your Questions On Noncompete Agreements” provides Donna Ballman for her Screw You Guys, I’m Going Home Blog.
  • “Detecting Insider Threats to Trade Secrets” advises Catherine Dunn for Corporate Counsel.
  • If you don’t have a non-compete with a Chinese employee, don’t expect to restrain him or her advises the China Bridge IP Law Commentary Blog. In “Why China Supreme Court Agreed with Resigned Employees Establishing Competing Businesses?,” Luo Yanjie details a recent high court ruling explaining Chinese law on this issue.
  • For The Wall Street Journal’s take on the recent indictment of Chinese turbine manufacturer Sinovel, see “U.S. Looks to Blunt Corporate Espionage by Chinese Firms.”
  • “Best Practices For Enforcing Restrictive Covenants” advises Susan Trench of Arnstein & Lehr for Law360.

Cybersecurity Posts and Articles:

  • “Beware the Internet and the danger of cyberattacks,” warns Robert Samuelson for The Washington Post.
  • “NSA revelations throw wrench into lawmakers’ cybersecurity push” advises Brendan Sasso for The Hill.
  • “5 Ways to Boost Your Company’s Cybersecurity Strategy” recommends Catherine Dunn for Corporate Counsel.

Computer Fraud & Abuse Act Articles, Cases and Posts:

  • “You May Not Like Weev, But Your Online Freedom Depends on His Appeal” advises Wired on the appeal of Andrew Aurnheimer of his CFAA conviction.
  • “There Is Now a Split Within the District of Massachusetts over the Proper Interpretation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act” announces Brian Bialas for Foley & Hoag’s Massachusetts Noncompete Law Blog.

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!