What do computer programs, customer lists, and "dolls with an attitude" have in common? They all can be trade secrets! Trade secret laws have ancient origins but are more important than ever as a key component of intellectual property protection. Technology plays a larger role in industry every day, while information can be downloaded and shared more easily than ever before. These facts, combined with stricter limits on patentable subject matter and patent damages, have led companies to increasingly rely on trade secrets to protect their intellectual property and to an explosion of trade secret litigation. In this class we will examine the law and the theory of trade secret protection, and will emphasize the practical aspects of protecting information as a trade secret and litigating trade secret cases. We will also explore the increasingly important subject of protecting trade secrets internationally. We will feature weekly guest speakers, several of whom have played key roles in the most prominent trade secret cases of the past decade. The list includes individuals from the FBI, the Department of Justice, the judiciary, in-house counsel, and a forensic discovery expert, each of whom will address trade secret law and practice from their own unique perspective. We will highlight topics of current interest such as non-competition agreements, trade secrets and the Internet, and cybercrime, all while answering critical questions like, "Can you rummage through your competitor's trash?". The class will be of interest to students who expect to practice intellectual property law, for students who expect to be involved in corporate transactions and labor law, and for anyone who wonders what they will be allowed to take with them when they leave their next employer. Elements used in grading: Class participation and final exam.
3 units · Law Honors/Pass/Restrd Cr/Fail
What do computer programs, customer lists, and "dolls with an attitude" have in common? They all can be trade secrets! Trade secret laws have ancient origins but are more important than ever as a key component of intellectual property protection. Technology plays a larger role in industry every day, while information can be downloaded and shared more easily than ever before. These facts, combined with stricter limits on patentable subject matter and patent damages, have led companies to increasingly rely on trade secrets to protect their intellectual property and to an explosion of trade secret litigation. In this class we will examine the law and the theory of trade secret protection, and will emphasize the practical aspects of protecting information as a trade secret and litigating trade secret cases. We will also explore the increasingly important subject of protecting trade secrets internationally. We will feature weekly guest speakers, several of whom have played key roles in the most prominent trade secret cases of the past decade. The list includes individuals from the FBI, the Department of Justice, the judiciary, in-house counsel, and a forensic discovery expert, each of whom will address trade secret law and practice from their own unique perspective. We will highlight topics of current interest such as non-competition agreements, trade secrets and the Internet, and cybercrime, all while answering critical questions like, "Can you rummage through your competitor's trash?". The class will be of interest to students who expect to practice intellectual property law, for students who expect to be involved in corporate transactions and labor law, and for anyone who wonders what they will be allowed to take with them when they leave their next employer. Elements used in grading: Class participation and final exam.