The law can be either your best friend or your worst enemy in a fight to protect your company's value. How much can an employer restrain the activities of its current and former employees? What does a company need to do when working (and contracting) with third parties to protect the interests of the company? What will a court be looking for when bad things happen, and litigation arises? The answer to all of these questions, and more, often hinges on whether we are dealing with a "trade secret," particularly in Colorado.
Many companies believe they have trade secrets worthy of protecting, but this legal term of art is often misapplied. Even when a company does have trade secrets, the protection afforded such information is often lost because of actions (or inactions) by the owner of that trade secret.
Partners Emily Keimig, Beth Ann Lennon, Elizabeth Manno, and Bret Siciliano spoke at Venable's breakfast briefing in Denver on Thursday, March 13, 2025. The panel discussed trade secrets–what they are, why they matter, how you can accidentally lose them, and how to protect them if you do have them. This briefing is the first in the three-part 2025 series for clients and friends of Venable in its newest market, Denver, Colorado.