Worldwide: Trade Secrets

On April 13, 2026, Governor Abigail Spanberger signed SB 170, which amends Virginia Code Section 40.1-28.7:8, effective July 1, 2026, to restrict employers from enforcing a noncompete against an employee discharged without...

The First Circuit recently addressed a critical question in trade secret litigation: who actually owns a trade secret and therefore has the legal standing to sue for its misappropriation? This episode examines the court's analysis of ownership issues and the implications for companies seeking to protect their confidential information through legal action.

Trade secrets are among a company’s most valuable intellectual property assets. They can give a business a competitive edge, provided that they are properly safeguarded.

Intellectual property is often one of the most valuable assets in a transaction, yet it is also one of the most misunderstood.

Oracle's lawsuit against a former employee reveals the extensive customer data Oracle collects and uses to drive sales strategy. The case exposes how Oracle tracks deployment details, pricing, contract terms, and usage patterns to maintain informational advantage in negotiations. Companies running Oracle software should understand the implications of this data collection and take steps to level the playing field.

As part of Seyfarth’s 2026 Trade Secrets Webinar Series, our panel presented Protecting the House: Trade Secret Risks in Online Gaming, Sportsbooks & Predictive Markets, examining how the rapid expansion...

In this episode, Jordan discusses two District Court cases that address the issue of trade secret identification at different stages of litigation.

Every time an employee pastes proprietary source code, a customer list, or a confidential business strategy into ChatGPT, Claude, or Google Gemini, they may be quietly dismantling the legal protections...

Washington yesterday adopted a major shift in its approach to employee restrictive covenants. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1155 (ESHB 1155), approved by the Legislature in March 2026 and signed by the Governor yesterday, eliminates the use of noncompetition agreements in employment and independent contractor relationships beginning June 30, 2027 in specified situations including notices to existing agreement holders by October 1, 2027.