News 24 Jun. 2021
Curtis successfully defends foreign states' procedural privileges in the UK Supreme Court
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News 23 Jun. 2021
Ibrahim Elsadig joins Curtis as Partner in Dubai
Client Alert 24 Feb. 2022
EU, UK, Japan and Australia Impose Sanctions on Russia
News 09 Aug. 2021
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle enters into association with Chevalier Law in Singapore.
News 06 May. 2022
Curtis Advises Terna Group on the Sale of its Latin America Power Transmission Assets to CDPQ
Publications 05 May. 2022
Marie-Claire Argac, Simon Batifort, and Cyprien Mathié share highlights from “Affaires d’Etats: Practical Considerations When Defending States in International Arbitration” on Kluwer Arbitration Blog
Event 26 Apr. 2022
Claudia Frutos-Peterson Speaks at CAI Costa Rica’s 13th Congress of International Arbitration
News 21 Apr. 2022
SCOTUS Upholds U.S. Colonialism under the U.S. Constitution
Client Alert 23 Mar. 2022
The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) has launched the DIAC Arbitration Rules 2022
Event 22 Nov. 2021
Partner Antonia Birt spoke at ADGMAC and AIAC Webinar Series: Webinar 5 - Disputes in Fintech and Complex Technology in MESEA
News 16 May. 2022
Curtis Files SCOTUS Amicus Brief for Ohio Justice & Policy Center in Prisoners’ Rights Case
News 10 May. 2022
Juan Perla’s Argument in D.C. Circuit Featured on Audio Arguendo Podcast
Client Alert 21 Apr. 2022
New Laws Targeting Assets of Russian Oligarchs: The U.S. Announces Task Force KleptoCapture and the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Rewards Program
Client Alert 19 Apr. 2022
U.S. President Biden Expands Export Controls Imposed on Russia and Belarus
Client Alert 24 Jun. 2021
Update on Virtual Notarization (Executive Order 202.7) During the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic (Updated: June 24, 2021) — U.S. Insight
Update on Virtual Witnessing (New York Executive Order 202.14) During The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic (Updated: June 24, 2021) — U.S. Insight
Intellectual Property
A trade secret is information that has economic value by virtue of not being generally known.
For example, the recipe for Coca Cola is a trade secret that is closely held by the Coca Cola company. Trade secrets are subject to a party’s reasonable efforts to maintain their secrecy. If a party freely discloses information, this information would not be eligible for trade secret protection.
Trade secrets are important because they protect information crucial to a company’s survival and profitability. In other words, trade secrets allow a company to make and sell valuable products that only they know how to make. The accidental or intentional disclosure of a trade secret could cost a company its trade secrets. A company may use a strategic combination of trade secrets and patents to retain an advantage over its competitors even after the patents expire.
Trade secrets last as long as the secret can be kept. Unlike patents, which typically have a shelf life of twenty years, trade secrets last indefinitely. If the secret is leaked or disclosed to an unauthorized party, the trade secret would likely no longer qualify as a secret.
The leaking of a trade secret could potentially lead to the information becoming public or no longer being protected. Depending on how central the secret is to a company’s operations, the disclosure of a trade secret could threaten the viability or existence of a company. For example, if Coca Cola’s recipe for its soft drink were leaked, it could constitute a blow to its ability to make a profit.
Attorney advertising. The material contained on this page is only a general review of the subjects covered and does not constitute legal advice. No legal or business decision should be based on its contents.
Turner P. Smith
Partner
Eric Stenshoel
Counsel
Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual Property Litigation
Media, Technology and Entertainment Law
Cybersecurity
New York
+1 212 696 6000
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