It is no secret that Silicon Valley is ground zero for the development and advancement of intellectual property that technology companies rely upon to stay ahead of their competition. Recently, the intellectual property landscape in Silicon Valley underwent a shift that could change the way technology companies manage and protect their intellectual property. A pilot program in the Northern District of California will now seek to track down and prosecute corporate malfeasance by foregoing prosecution of whistleblowers who voluntarily come forward and disclose criminal conduct even though these individuals may themselves have unclean hands.

The Whistleblower Pilot Program (WPP), which took effect March 14, dangles non-prosecution agreements (NPAs) in front of individuals whose information and assistance can help the government identify and prosecute criminal conduct in a range of areas, including “intellectual property theft and related violations.”