2016 Trade Secrets Webinar Series Year In Review

Throughout 2016, Seyfarth Shaw's dedicated Trade Secrets, Computer Fraud & Non-Competes Practice Group hosted a series of CLE webinars that addressed significant issues facing clients today in this important and ever-changing area of law. The series consisted of 11 webinars:

2015 National Year in Review: What You Need to Know About the Recent Cases/Developments in Trade Secrets, Non-Compete and Computer Fraud Law Data Security and Trade Secret Protection for Lawyers New Year, New Progress: 2016 Update on Defend Trade Secrets Act & EU Directive Protecting Confidential Information and Client Relationships in the Financial Services Industry Trade Secrets, Restrictive Covenants and the NLRB: Can They Peacefully Coexist? The Defend Trade Secrets Act: What Employers Should Know Now Enforcing Trade Secret and Non-Compete Provisions in Franchise Agreements International Non-Compete Law Update The Intersection of Trade Secrets Violations and the Criminal Law Trade Secret Audits: You Can't Protect What You Don't Know You Have Proving-Up Trade Secret Misappropriation: Best Practices and Tales from the Trenches As a conclusion to this well-received 2016 webinar series, we compiled a list of key takeaway points for each program, which are listed below. For those clients who missed any of the programs in this year's series, the webinars are available on CD upon request, or you may click on the title of each webinar for the online recording. Seyfarth Trade Secrets, Computer Fraud & Non-Compete attorneys are happy to discuss presenting similar presentations to your groups for CLE credit. Seyfarth will continue its trade secrets webinar programming in 2017, and we will release the 2017 trade secrets webinar series topics in the coming weeks.

2015 National Year in Review: What You Need to Know About the Recent Cases/Developments in Trade Secrets, Non-Compete and Computer Fraud Law

The first webinar of the year, led by Robert Milligan, Jesse Coleman, and Joshua Salinas, reviewed noteworthy cases and other legal developments from across the nation in the areas of trade secret and data theft, non-compete enforceability, computer fraud, and the interplay between restrictive covenant agreements and social media activity, and provided predictions for what to watch for in 2016.

Data breach is a question of when and not if. Companies should ensure they have implemented sufficient information security policies and a data breach response plan. There are limitations in the law and challenges in international misappropriation cases. The best strategy is to try to prevent breach and misappropriation through effective policies, procedures, and agreements, employee training, technology solutions, and continual assessment and improvement. Courts continue to struggle with issues regarding adequacy of consideration for restrictive covenants. Employers who have asked existing employees to sign non-competes or are considering doing the same should evaluate whether consideration was or will be provided for the non-compete to ensure enforcement under applicable law. While the circuit court split continues to widen regarding the interpretation of unauthorized access under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the recent decision in U.S. v. Christensen (9th Cir. 2015) may provide employers with a civil cause of action in California against employees who misuse company data without permission. Data Security & Trade Secret Protection for Lawyers

In recent years, the prevalence of data and information security breaches at major corporations have become increasingly more commonplace. While general awareness may be increasing, many companies are still neglecting to address serious information security issues.

In the second installment, Seyfarth attorneys Richard D. Lutkus and James S. Yu were joined by Joseph Martinez, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Forensics at Innovative Discovery. This program covered considerations that attorneys should take into account when in possession of any client data. Coverage included both technical considerations, best practices and policies, as well as practical advice to steer clear of ethical violations.

Whether corporate or outside counsel, there are basic steps that can dramatically increase the security of your or your client's data. Management of data will continue to be a necessity for any entity. Proper policies, protocols, and training should be developed and put into place to protect data in transit and at rest. Use of encryption and access control are both key to proper protection of data. Social engineering is the number one cause of data breaches, leaks, and information theft. Organizations should alert and train employees on following policy, spotting potential social engineering attacks, and having a clear method to escalate potential security risks. Employee awareness, coupled with technological changes towards better security will reduce risk and exposure to...