Protection of Business and Trade Secrets

Practice Areas

• Please select
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Border Seizures
• Copyright
• Designs
• Distribution
• Employee Invention Law
• IT
• Litigation
• Media
• Pharmaceutical Law
• Protection of Business and Trade Secrets
• Trademarks – Prosecution
• Trademarks – Litigation
• Transactional IP
• Unfair Competition Law

As an alternative to registered IP rights like patents and utility models, business and trade secrets often provide a quick and effective protection of corporate know-how. In some areas, in particular of a non-technical nature, protecting secret know-how is the only option to obtain a certain level of protection.

We advise and represent our clients in all areas of the management and protection of technical and non-technical business secrets and trade secrets. This covers both the civil enforcement of injunctive relief and claims for damages as well as advising clients in criminal investigations. We also defend clients against allegations of infringement. We are particularly experienced in cases of international trade secrets violations.

The protection of trade and business secrets is particularly complex since the protected trade secret or business secret often lacks fixed contours. Especially in the case of technical trade secrets, the combination of technical understanding and legal expertise is crucial. We excel in this providing the highest level of expertise in both areas to our clients. Wherever appropriate, particularly in cases concerning complex technology, we collaborate with technical experts and experienced patent attorneys.

We are closely involved in the development of the law in the area of trade secret protection, in particular with important publications such as the leading text book commentary on the trade secrets provisions in the Unfair Competition Act.