Buchalter

Firm overview:

Buchalter’s California-based IP group is regularly sought out by businesses accused of trade secrets misappropriation and acts of unfair competition. The team is well-versed in handling trade secrets litigation in California and beyond, including multi-jurisdictional matters involving companies that have hired out-of-state employees subject to restrictive covenants.

Clients include national and international clients from a variety of industries, including insurance brokers, life sciences companies, media outlets and banking. Buchalter’s experience in the area covers cases involving trade secrets; unfair competition; employee mobility disputes; cloud-based data theft, and the infringement of other forms of IP. The firm also counsels employers and startups on best practices for safeguarding their intangible assets.

Team overview:

Buchalter’s trade secrets team can be found across 12 offices, with the most partners practising in the area found in Los Angeles.

Dylan Wiseman, co-chair of Buchalter’s Trade Secret and Employee Mobility Practice Group, has practised in the areas of trade secrets, unfair competition and employee mobility for more than 28 years. He has extensive trial experience in high-stakes disputes, acting for both claimants and defendants in matters involving trade secrets, predatory hiring, non-solicitation restrictions and antitrust claims. Wiseman also has substantial first-chair experience in complex arbitrations.

A peer, who was involved in “hotly contested litigation” against Wiseman, says he’s “a very tough advocate” and “very knowledgeable in the space”.

Key matters:

• Signal Hill Auto Enterprises d/b/a Supply Solutions v Elisa Crawford and Gorm, Inc

Buchalter is representing the cross-claimants in a case involving a prior employee taking proprietary information. Allegations in the cross complaint include violation of the computer fraud and abuse act, violation of the stored communication act, conversion, breach of contract, breach of the duty of loyalty, violation of the California Penal Code, intentional interference with contractual relations and prospective economic advantage.

The case is ongoing as to all parties except Gorm, Inc which settled with Supply Solutions.

On Buchalter’s team are shareholder Tracy Warren, and senior counsel Alissa Pleau-Fuller and Kathryn Fox.

• Saint Mary’s Medical Group et al v Pinnacle Medical Group, Northern Nevada, et al

Dylan Wiseman of Buchalter represented Saint Mary’s Medical Group, part of Prime Healthcare, which was the subject of employee raiding and alleged trade secret misappropriation. In October of 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, 17 physicians and highly skilled physicians’ assistants, gave notice to leave effective January 2021.

The departing employees are alleged to have printed patient lists before leaving. Prime Healthcare is the fifth largest for-profit health system in the US, operating 45 hospitals in 14 states.

In September 2025, a Nevada jury returned a verdict in favour of Saint Mary’s Health Network and awarded over $510 million in damages.

• Philips North America v Advanced Imaging Services

Dylan Wiseman represented Advanced Imaging Services in a dispute with Philips North America.

He defeated the multi-national conglomerate’s motion for preliminary injunction based on claimed trade secrets in the MRI and CT scanning field and defeated Philips’ motion to dismiss counter-claims asserting anti-trust claims.

Philips claims that Advanced Imaging Services misappropriated its trade secrets and circumvented its security measures for its software when the defendant serviced and maintained MRI and CT scanning equipment under contracts with hospitals and medical clinics.

Clients:

Advanced Imaging Services, Prime Healthcare, Signal Hill Auto Enterprises d/b/a Supply Solutions