Trade Secret Law in the United States

Trade Secret Law in the United States is a collection of cases and commentary about the history and development of trade secret law in the United States, beginning with its historical roots in England that started at the time of the Industrial Revolution. After an introduction to the historical background, nature of trade secret protection, and where trade secret protection fits within the framework of the American intellectual property laws, the legal requirements for the three substantive aspects of trade secret law are addressed, namely the property component, secrecy, and the "special" relationship between the parties. The enforcement of trade secret rights is also dealt with, ranging from state causes of action under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act and state common law, to causes of action under various federal laws, and remedies such as injunctions and damages. There is also a chapter on the criminal enforcement of trade secret rights, both at the state and federal levels. In addition to the traditional academic approach of a casebook intended for use in a law school course, the practical side of enforcing rights is also presented, which reflects many of the author's experiences during his 40-plus years of practice in this area of the law.