Confidential For All Or None

An equipment manufacturer was allowed to use a designer s system after the designer disclosed it to the manufacturer s competitors without ensuring proper confidentiality restrictions. By failing to enter into adequate confidentiality agreements with each of those competitors, the designer waived its trade secret protection, the court found.

Why This Is Important . . .

Selectively entering into confidentiality agreements with only certain people can result in your losing your trade secret rights against those you most want to restrict.