--- title: Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants date: 2023-06-12T15:36:00-04:00 author: Import Bot canonical_url: "https://www.kelleydrye.com/practices/trade-secrets-and-restrictive-covenants" section: Services --- # Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants Trade secrets are often your most valuable asset, and the impact of stolen information can be devastating to your company. We help clients take measures to secure their assets and implement gatekeeper policies. ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Hero-Objects/keyhole.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1880&q=80&w=1880&s=b7c4750bcbbf9eda8ee67efc23b9ca38) - About - Team Trade secret theft can result in loss of competitive advantage, reduced returns and profitability, and devaluation of goodwill. New technologies and increased employee mobility in today’s global economy present mounting challenges to protect confidential information that can be critical to a business’s success. With an interdisciplinary team that brings together strengths in litigation, IP, labor and employment, and privacy and information security, we help clients protect valuable information, and we aggressively defend them against related allegations. We also conduct internal investigations for clients in response to misappropriation allegations, navigating complex employment and technology issues. Our lawyers have broad experience both asserting and defending cases involving misappropriation of trade secrets, the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, the Defend Trade Secrets Act, the Economic Espionage Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, state criminal codes, restrictive covenants, employee raiding, customer raiding, and departures of key employees. ### Trade Secret Protection Effective trade secret protection is the key to preventing unfair competition. Our attorneys help clients develop effective trade secret protection programs to minimize risks against the loss of confidential information, deter employees from competing unfairly, and ensure their ability to overcome related allegations. Our counsel includes: - Drafting non-competition agreements, non-disclosure agreements, confidentiality agreements, assignment of invention agreements, and similar documents - Preparing executive and individual employment contracts - Consulting on electronic information retention and security policies - Training employees on policies and protective measures regarding the treatment of trade secret, proprietary, and confidential information - Advising on the enforceability of noncompetition and non-solicitation agreements - Advising on employment contract disputes and recruitment issues - Investigating the potential theft of trade secret, proprietary, and confidential information ### Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secret Litigation In today’s heightened market of employee mobility, we help clients minimize the risk of hiring people from competitors while, at the same time, protecting company information when talent leaves. Our team has a track record of success in obtaining emergency remedies, including temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions on behalf of clients to enforce contractual, statutory, and common law rights while minimizing business disruption. We represent clients in state and federal courts throughout the country in a wide range of disputes concerning confidential information and employee departures. Our lawyers have broad experience both asserting and defending cases involving misappropriation of trade secrets, the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, the Defend Trade Secrets Act, the Economic Espionage Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, state criminal codes, restrictive covenants, employee raiding, customer raiding, and departures of key employees. Our trial-tested attorneys represent clients with injunctions and assist clients to obtain temporary restraining orders to ensure that confidential information is not disclosed and remains protected. ### Patent Protection Attorneys in our patent group work to assure that our clients make well-informed legal decisions about trade secret protection and patent protection. We regularly counsel clients in a variety of technical fields on the procurement of IP rights, portfolio development and licensing to ensure that our clients’ technology and business is safeguarded. [ ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Bio-Photos-1200x1200/Konkel_Mark_2025.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=956&q=80&w=956&s=5fd06cbe347c689ae09c1315ff7b5541) ![](/static/img/team-card-bg/square_team_listing_1.svg) ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/mark-a-konkel) ### [Mark A. Konkel](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/mark-a-konkel) Partner [ ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Bio-Photos-1200x1200/Steiner_Robert.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=956&q=80&w=956&s=246bdb7dd2d91b89a56a2959ba91c27c) ![](/static/img/team-card-bg/square_team_listing_2.svg) ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/robert-i-steiner) ### [Robert I. Steiner](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/robert-i-steiner) Partner [ ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Bio-Photos-1200x1200/Zalman_David.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=956&q=80&w=956&s=7062b014a67c1d294be905b9e40a256c) ![](/static/img/team-card-bg/square_team_listing_3.svg) ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/david-i-zalman) ### [David I. Zalman](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/david-i-zalman) Partner [ ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Bio-Photos-1200x1200/Hoey_Barbara.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=956&q=80&w=956&s=075f1ac7045111dd804f887b989c95d6) ![](/static/img/team-card-bg/square_team_listing_4.svg) ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/barbara-e-hoey) ### [Barbara E. Hoey](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/barbara-e-hoey) Partner [ ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Bio-Photos-1200x1200/Katz_Clifford.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=956&q=80&w=956&s=f13b7580066d7414df0594290ff2e188) ![](/static/img/team-card-bg/square_team_listing_5.svg) ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/clifford-katz) ### [Clifford Katz](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/clifford-katz) Partner [ ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Bio-Photos-1200x1200/Lovinger__Blythe_slves.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=956&q=80&w=956&s=31f23afe54d97bf2d5e72441a1d46915) ![](/static/img/team-card-bg/square_team_listing_6.svg) ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/blythe-e-lovinger) ### [Blythe E. Lovinger](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/blythe-e-lovinger) Partner [ ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Bio-Photos-1200x1200/Metzinger_Jaclyn.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=956&q=80&w=956&s=8d5cea67dcd345fd7fe005b45673b9c1) ![](/static/img/team-card-bg/square_team_listing_7.svg) ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/jaclyn-m-metzinger) ### [Jaclyn M. Metzinger](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/jaclyn-m-metzinger) Partner [ ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Bio-Photos-1200x1200/Pruden_Greg.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=956&q=80&w=956&s=d25863caa572d99b599f467deacb0270) ![](/static/img/team-card-bg/square_team_listing_8.svg) ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/gregory-c-pruden) ### [Gregory C. Pruden](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/gregory-c-pruden) Partner [ ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Bio-Photos-1200x1200/Robben_Philip.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=956&q=80&w=956&s=b4444f9bef54212f39ab0c009b735a91) ![](/static/img/team-card-bg/square_team_listing_9.svg) ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/philip-d-robben) ### [Philip D. 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