In general, a trade secret is any information used in business if the owner has taken reasonable measures to keep such information secret, and the information derives independent economic value, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable through proper means by the public. Almost every state has adopted some form of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act. In addition, with the enactment of the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (DTSA), trade secrets are also protected under civil and criminal federal law. See 18 U.S.C. § 1831, et seq. Due to the enactment of this Act and the weakening of patent protection in the United States, trade secrets are becoming an increasingly important means for companies to protect their intellectual property. This article provides a summary of important 2019 trade secret decisions and trends.
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Recent Posts
- How Patents Helped Sprout the World’s First Plantable Pencil
- Cybergenetics Appeals Ohio Federal Judge Ruling that Alice Kills DNA Analysis Patents
- We Made it to November: The IP Community Gives Thanks in a Year Like No Other
- Patent Filings Roundup: Battle-Tested Off-Roading Patent Asserted; Jack Henry Battered Again
- When it Pays to Talk About Your Secrets