A small, Chicago-based magnetic picture frame developer’s claims for trade secret misappropriation against a photo album manufacturer will be headed to trial after an Illinois federal district court largely denied the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment. Puroon, Inc.’s (“Puroon”) founder and CEO, Hyunju Song, developed the “Memory Book,” “an all-in-one convertible photo frame, album, and scrapbook” that included magnetic openings and an “interchangeable outside view.” In 2013, Puroon launched a website displaying the Memory Book…

Many companies assume that they need to choose between patent protections or trade secret protections for their intellectual property, thereby foregoing an important tool in their arsenal to protect key company assets. Some believe that these protections are diametrically opposed, as patents offer protection of intellectual property in exchange for public disclosure, whereas trade secrets offer protection for ideas, recipes, information, and technology, which has been kept confidential. However, despite the misconception that they are…

On Thursday, October 25, 2018, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern, Seyfarth Partner Dawn Mertineit will be a panelist for Boston Bar Association’s first ever Employment Law Conference. The “Non-Compete Agreements—What You Need to Know About the New Law” presentation is focused on the recently passed Massachusetts non-compete law and how it’s been affecting businesses with Massachusetts employees. For more information or to register, click here.…

Readers of our blog will recall that this summer, the Massachusetts legislature passed a non-compete reform bill after nearly a decade of fruitless attempts.  The new law goes into effect today, meaning that any agreements signed today or in the future will need to comply with the new law. As a brief recap, the key provisions of the new bill are as follows:…

Seyfarth Partner and Trade Secrets, Computer Fraud & Non-Compete Practice Group Co-Chair Robert Milligan is moderating the panel for “The Employee Life Cycle Relating to Trade Secrets” session on November 5 at The Sedona Conference Working Group 12 Inaugural Meeting 2018 in Los Angeles, California. “The Employee Life Cycle Relating to Trade Secrets” session will develop guidelines for new employers to avoid unintentionally receiving or benefiting from the trade secrets of another company and for…

On October 25-­27, 2018, Seyfarth attorneys will be attending the American Intellectual Property Law Association’s (AIPLA) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.—this is one of the preeminent events for trade secret practitioners across the country.  Boston partner Erik Weibust will formally take on the role of Vice Chair of the AIPLA’s Trade Secrets Law Committee at the Annual Meeting, and Seyfarth’s National Litigation Department Chair Katherine Perrelli is presenting “Strategies for Enforcing Compliance with Trade Secret…

On Wednesday, August 29, 2018, Seyfarth Shaw Partners Katherine Perrelli, Dawn Mertineit, and Justin Beyer are presenting a webinar focused on trade secret audits. The ITechLaw webinar, titled “The Anatomy of a Trade Secret Audit,” is from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern Time and will cover the following topics: Identifying trade secrets and secrecy protections Effective secrecy protections, including employment and non-compete agreements Effective hiring and termination protocols, including effective exit interviews and termination…