Increasingly today, the value of a company is measured not by its physical assets, but by the talents of its employees and the utility of its intellectual property. Because of their knowledge and experience, talented employees are constantly wooed by competitors. Many believe that innovation is the product of employee mobility. However, as employees leave, many of them carry with, mentally and sometimes physically, intellectual property belonging to their employer.
Recently a roundtable discussion—jointly sponsored by The Recorder and JAMS—addressed the topic “Trade Secrets and Intellectual Property in the Age of Employee Mobility.” Panelists included judge James Kleinberg, Santa Clara Superior Court; Bradford Newman, Paul Hastings; Dan Feldstein, Zynga Inc.; and yours truly. The discussion was moderated by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler. Some practical points can be derived from the discussion.
