If you feel your trade secrets have been wrongfully appropriated, a trade secret attorney can help safeguard you and your information. A trade secrets attorney is able to determine what is most suitable for you or your business needs, because the most appropriate option for maintaining confidential information may not be trade secret protection.
According to trade secret law, a trade secret is defined as a instrument, design, pattern, formula, practice, process, or compilation of information not generally known or logically determined. To prove that a trade secret was stolen or violated, claimants must typically prove that their secret had value, that they took protective measures, and that the violators wrongfully used their trade secret for profit. The Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA) – currently used by 46 states - helps define rights and remedies of common law trade secrets.
Trade secret protection is significantly different than patent protection. Trade secret protection is available for all types of ideas and information, as long as they are secret and provide a competitive advantage, while patent protection exists only for certain types of unique inventions, processes and designs. In addition, trade secret protection may last indefinitely, while patent protection lasts only for a set period of time.
Contact the trade secret attorneys at our law firm to inquire about how we can support you or your company with trade secret protection.