Trade secret litigation in Michigan falls subject to the Michigan Uniform Trade Secrets Act. Kalamazoo trade secret lawyers Revision Legal have experience prosecuting and defending trade secret actions.
Intellectual Property Litigation
Revision Legal attorneys regularly practice in a number of intellectual property areas, including copyright and trademark infringement cases. While these forms of intellectual property require, to some extent, federal registration, trade secret protection primarily relies on state law.
Because of this fact, and because trade secretes are generally misunderstood, trade secrets are an often under utilized form of intellectual property.
A Secret that Provides Value
Michigan law provides a specific definition for a trade secret at MCL 445.1902. In general, a trade secret is a form of information, for example a formulation, compilation, calculation, process, or program that meets two elements: 1) it is kept secret by the business and 2) it derives value from that secrecy.
For example, if your website lists your customers, your business is not attempting to keep that information a secret. As a result, you would not have any claim for a protectable trade secret in your customer list.
If you are defending a trade secrets claim, your first line of defense may be fighting the classification of the information as a trade secret in the first place.
Business Value at Risk
When a former employee takes private business information to a new job, the previous employer may have a claim for the misappropriation of a trade secret. Under the Michigan Uniform Trade Secrets Act, the employer can ask the court to prevent, or if the misappropriation has already started, to stop the unlawful use and disclosures of information.
If your business has built an internal process or function that may be lost to the competition, you should consult with an attorney immediately.
Kalamazoo Trade Secret Lawyer
Revision Legal, with offices in St. Joseph, Michigan, represents businesses and individuals in trade secret litigation in Kalamazoo and beyond. Our trade secret attorneys offer consultations to provide you with an idea of the potential outcomes of your issues.
Contact Revision Legal today by completing the contact form on this page or by calling 269-281-3908.
