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ARTICLE · 24 NOVEMBER 2004

Trade Secrets: What Your Company Needs to Know

Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP
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Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

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What you need to know about US trade secret law.

United StatesIntellectual Property
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
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Reprinted with permission from the IP Litigator, July/August 2004
Published by Aspen Law & Business

The world’s most famous trade secret is probably the formula for Coca Cola. Famous or not, trade secrets and confidential information are the lifeblood of many companies, and virtually all companies have them. Patents and copyrights, which are creatures of federal statutes, and trademarks, which are creatures of common law with statutory benefits, are often the more visible forms of corporate intellectual property. But quietly lurking in the shadows, and often supporting a company’s basic infrastructure, are its trade secrets and confidential information. This guide tells you, the business person, what you need to know about US trade secret law.

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