The Florida Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“FUTSA”) requires courts to take reasonable steps to preserve the secrecy of trade secrets. Fla. Stat. § 688.006. Injunctive relief may be ordered to preserve trade secrets based on actual or threatened misappropriation, as well as, compelling parties to perform specific acts. Fla. Stat. § 688.003. FUTSA, however, may…
Continue reading ›For a business to be to protect its confidential information as a protectable trade secrets under the Florida Uniform Trade Secret Act, the business must preserve the secrecy of its confidential information. There are no hard and fast rules that must be followed for a business to protect its confidential information as a trade secret.…
Continue reading ›Protection of trade secrets and proprietary information from a business’ competitors can be a critical part of owning a company. An injunction may become necessary to stop a competing company from possessing or using those trade secrets for their own benefit. The injunction, however, must be specific enough for the enjoined party to understand what…
Continue reading ›Plaintiffs in litigation often allege as many types of claims as are applicable to the facts of their case. This practice essentially allows a party to plead alternative claims for different types of relief based on the same nucleus of facts. Under Florida law, a trade secret claim may preempt, i.e. supersede or displace, pleading…
Continue reading ›Many businesses create new business concepts. A business concept, however, does not automatically evolve from an interesting idea to a legally protected trade secret. A concept doesn’t need to be built to be protected, but the concept needs enough substance to be economically valuable and for a court to know what it’s protecting. Peter Mavrick…
Continue reading ›Florida law can protect companies when their trade secrets are stolen. For such protections to apply, the confidential information at issue must qualify as a “trade secret” as defined by the Florida Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“FUTSA”). Fla. Stat. 688.001, et seq. Generally, something can be a trade secret if derives “independent economic value from…
Continue reading ›Protection of trade secrets and proprietary information is critical when a business receives a subpoena for its business information and documents. Even when a business is not a party to a lawsuit, it can be compelled to produce sensitive information that can cause irreparable harm. It is often necessary to seek an order of protection…
Continue reading ›Protection of trade secrets and proprietary information is critical, when a business receives a subpoena for their business information and documents. Even when a business is not a party to a lawsuit, it can be compelled to produce sensitive information that can cause irreparable harm. It is often necessary to seek an order of protection…
Continue reading ›Businesses submitting licensing applications with state or local government agencies are often required to file confidential documents and financial records. The State of Florida has a broad public records policy requiring that “all state, county, and municipal records…[shall be]…open for personal inspection and copying by any person.” Florida Statute § 119.01(1). Businesses are often confronted…
Continue reading ›To protect their trade secrets and other valuable confidential information, former employers have sued former employees for breach of their non-compete agreements, along with additional causes of action. The factual basis for these additional causes of action and damages therefrom, are typically based on the same factual allegations that form the action for breach of…
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