Trade Secrets

Question 1

Combination trade secret

Answer 1

The idea of combining publicly available information in a new combination may itself be a trade secret.

Question 2

Ways to misappropriate a trade secret

Answer 2

1. Wrongful acquisition
2. Unlawful disclosure
3. Unauthorized use

Question 3

Defenses to misappropriation of a trade secret

Answer 3

1. Reverse engineering
2. Independent derivation
3. Non-Secrecy
4. No acquisition or knowledge of the secret
5. Lack of reasonable measures to preserve secrecy

Question 4

Elements of a trade secret.

Answer 4

1. Secret information not generally known to the public.
2. Value because the information is secret
3. Reasonable measures taken to guard secret
4. Ownership of the information