Trade Secret Litigation and Dispute Counseling

In Depth

Embedded in technology, data, processes and strategy, trade secrets are often a company’s most valuable intellectual property. Cooley’s trade secret litigation lawyers help clients protect these mission‑critical assets with strategies that are trial‑tested, commercially grounded and built to support long‑term growth.

Cooley’s trade secrets lawyers advise innovative companies on how to define and protect trade secrets across the business life cycle. Our team understands how trade secret risk arises in practice – through employee mobility, competitive hiring, collaboration, commercial transactions and rapid scale. These risks most often surface at moments common to technology and life sciences businesses, including executive departures, product launches, strategic partnerships and acquisitions. Cooley’s decisive judgment shapes how we advise at these key inflection points, from strategic counseling and investigations through litigation and trial.

Cooley conducts internal trade secret investigations designed to move quickly, surface critical facts and preserve evidence under significant time pressure. Our lawyers investigate suspected trade secret misappropriation involving departing employees, competitor hiring, data access and due diligence issues, working closely with clients to assess exposure, stabilize sensitive situations and determine the most effective path forward. We develop strategies that resolve matters efficiently where possible, while preparing to litigate when necessary. We know that the right outcome is one that supports our client’s commercial objectives – whether that means pursuing claims, preparing a defense or taking corrective action before disputes escalate.

When disputes do escalate, Cooley’s trade secret litigation team is trial‑ready and experienced in pursuing and defending claims for trade secret misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition and related causes of action. We bring decades of experience litigating high‑stakes US and cross‑border disputes, including matters that require emergency relief such as temporary restraining orders, ex parte seizure orders and preliminary and permanent injunctions.

Clients benefit from Cooley’s ability to integrate trade secret litigation experience with unmatched capabilities across employment, cybersecurity and data, corporate transactions, regulatory and white collar matters. This coordinated, cross‑disciplinary approach allows us to address disputes that implicate technology, people, data and contracts simultaneously – without losing momentum or strategic focus.