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ARTICLE · 09 OCTOBER 2014

LinkedIn Contacts Survive Summary Judgment As Alleged Trade Secret

Littler Mendelson
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On September 16, 2014, Judge Dean R. Pregerson of the United States District Court, Central District of California issued an Order Denying Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment and Granting in Part Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (the Order) in the matter of Cellular Accessories for Less, Inc. v. Trintitas LLC.

United StatesEmployment and HR
Littler Mendelson, P.C.
Littler Mendelson, P.C.
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On September 16, 2014, Judge Dean R. Pregerson of the United States District Court, Central District of California issued an Order Denying Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment and Granting in Part Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (the Order) in the matter of Cellular Accessories for Less, Inc. v. Trintitas LLC.

Cellular Accessories is a dispute between two competitors in the mobile phone accessories business.  One of the plaintiff's salespersons left to join the defendant.  Before departing, he emailed to himself an ACT database file containing over 900 business and personal contacts.  The salesperson also maintained his LinkedIn contacts after his termination.  

When moving for summary adjudication, the defendant asserted that the plaintiff encouraged its sales associates to use LinkedIn as a way of getting business.  The salesperson also had LinkedIn connections with over 80 of the plaintiff's customers.  According to the defendant, at no point did

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