Member Login:
<< Previous Document Premium Content
9.11.10: Content Licensing
Premium Content Next Document >>
9.11.11.a: The Interplay Between Patents and Trade Secrets in Litigation

9.11.11: Trade Secret Protection

     Print This Article

Abstract

A principal-indeed the principal-objective of many license agreements is the protection of trade secrets. The point of the license is to retain ownership of the secret while commercially exploiting it and to build a fence (sometimes a higher and bigger fence than statutory protections, even if the same are available, can supply)[1] around the property by extorting promises from the end user. A trade secret is no longer legally protected if the owner does not take pains to maintain it, as best he can, in confidence. And, the license agreement is the vehicle to bind the user into cooperating to preserve the secret, or as much secrecy as possible. Indeed the licensor maintains ownership rights by maintaining the status of a trade secret as a res (a thing that is capable of being owned). Although trade secret protection is often one of the more affordable endeavors in the realm...

Premium Content
This section of the Encyclopedia of Private Equity is premium content and only available to accounts which have a subscription. If you have an account that has access to this section, please login now.

Register For The Encyclopedia of Private Equity
PE & VC Overview Package (Limited, 3-Month Access) Cost: $195.00
Single User - One Year of Complete Access (Best Value) Cost: $495.00
Single User - One Year of Complete Access (Incl. 1 Month Valuation & Deal Terms database Access) Cost: $595.00

Sub-Topics

<< Previous Document Premium Content
9.11.10: Content Licensing
Premium Content Next Document >>
9.11.11.a: The Interplay Between Patents and Trade Secrets in Litigation