Practice Areas - IP

TRADE SECRETS
ADE SECRETS

What Is A Trade Secret?

Trade secrets are different from other business secrets, for example, the amount or other terms of a secret bid for a contract or the salary of certain employees, or the security investments made or contemplated, or the date fixed for the announcement of a new policy or for bringing out a new model.

A trade secret is a process or device for continuous use in the operations of the business. Generally trade secrets have to do with the production of goods, for example, a machine or formula for the production of an article. However, a trade secret might be the code for determining discounts, rebates or other concessions in a price list or catalogue, or a list of specialized customers, or a method of bookkeeping or other office management.

Trade secrets must be secret. Anything that is public knowledge or general knowledge in an industry cannot be claimed as a trade secret. Anything that is completely disclosed by the marketed goods cannot be a trade secret, for example, the ingredients are listed so how could the recipe be a trade secret.

Terminology Help

Patents - Safeguard Innovation.

Copyright - Protect Your Work Product

Trademark - Secure An Exclusive Brand

Trade Secrets - Secure Assets with Agreements and Barriers

Licensing - Negotiate Agreements for the use and development of IP

Litigation - Protect and Defend Claims of Misappropriation and Infringement