Trade Secret Law

Semester: Fall 2023
Course ID: 296W
Credit Hours: 2
Unique: 29563

Course Information

Grading Method: Pass/Fail Allowed (JD only)
Will use floating mean GPA if applicable

Registration Information

Upperclass-only elective

Meeting Times

Day	Time	Location
THU	2:30 - 4:20 pm	JON 6.206

Evaluation Method

Type	Date	Time	Location
Final exam (administered by Exam4 in Open Laptop mode)	December 9, 2023	8:30 am	3.127

Description

Taught by Leah Buratti and Maria Calaf.

This course will provide in-depth study of U.S. and Texas law protecting trade secrets, the legal mechanism that businesses are increasingly relying on to protect their intellectual property and confidential business information. The course will cover statutory and common law protection for trade secrets. It will examine trade secret fundamentals such as the scope, duration, and prerequisites for trade secret protection, including subject matter, secrecy, economic value, and reasonable efforts to protect the trade secret. Common misappropriation scenarios will be addressed: joint ventures, potential acquisitions, and departing employees going to work for competitors. In addition, the course will explore litigation strategies for trade secrets cases, in particular requests for a preliminary injunction, forensic discovery, and timing of identification of the trade secret. Employment law angles of misappropriation of trade secrets will also be discussed, such as issues regarding confidentiality and non-competition agreements. Procedures and requirements for preserving trade secret protection will also be covered. Finally, the course touches on relevant comparisons between trade secret law and other legal doctrines, such as patent law.

TEXTBOOK: Trade Secret Law in a nutshell. Sharon K. Sandeen, Elizabeth A. Rowe. ISBN: 9781640202115