The dichotomy between patent and trade secret cases is as old as time. But, Lex Machina’s newest platform – trade secrets – reveals some interesting new insights on key differences between patent and trade secret cases that will matter to plaintiffs and defendants alike. In trade secrets cases, 71% of cases that resolve at trial are won by claimants whereas 29% are won by claim defendants. LexMachina Article. By contrast, in patent cases filed between 2000 to 2018, 7% were won by the claimant whereas 4% were won by the defendant while 68% of those cases resulted in a likely settlement and 14% resolved on a procedural resolution. This stark contrast in outcomes when comparing the different types of intellectual property is useful to clients who are assessing how best to protect these valuable resources. Lex Machina offers evidence about the success of different types of remedies in trade secret cases, revealing 51% of cases granted a temporary restraining order (“TRO”), 86% of cases granted a Permanent Injunction, and 63% of cases denied a Preliminary Injunction which can be further refined by jurisdiction to provide useful intel on case strategy when bringing these cases. Lex Machina also offers empirical data on the outcome of patent litigation, notably the relative proportion of infringement versus no infringement findings at trial. With this data, attorneys can make more informed strategic decisions for their clients for both patent and trade secret cases.
