Steptoe
Firm overview:
Steptoe oversees trade secrets matters that span multiple continents and involve everything from additional IP claims, such as patent and copyright infringement, to corporate espionage. The firm assembles multidisciplinary teams consisting of IP lawyers as well as criminal, investigation and commercial litigation attorneys, and compliance specialists.
A satisfied client says they would turn to Steptoe “for the most important trade secrets matters, particularly related to those involving high-stakes disputes” with an international element. “The team demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of trade secrets law and consistently delivers practical, business-oriented advice tailored to complex factual and technical records,” the client comments.
Peers have mixed views on the firm’s prominence in the trade secrets sphere, but it has handled some stand-out cases that suggest a high level of capability; these include its longstanding defence of Chinese company Hytera in the well-publicised trade secret dispute with Motorola. In that case, Steptoe overturned a multi-hundred-million-dollar copyright verdict and reduced trade secrets damages by around $700 million.
Beyond litigation, clients rely on Steptoe for assistance with licensing trade secrets information, conducting trade secret and confidential information audits, preparing non-disclosure, confidentiality and non-compete agreements, and counselling on how to avoid receiving trade secrets when hiring key employees from competitors.
Team overview:
Accomplished trial lawyers Boyd Cloern and Leah Quadrino are lauded by a client “for their strategic judgment, ability to distill complicated technical issues into persuasive legal arguments, and effectiveness in managing matters through all stages of proceedings”.
“They are particularly strong in developing cohesive case strategies, handling discovery and expert issues, and advocating before courts and tribunals in contentious trade secrets disputes,” the client says.
Based in Washington, DC, Cloern has managed bet-the-company global litigation involving a range of technologies. Described by a peer as a “hands-on and detail-oriented” partner, Cloern represents Hytera in its clash with Motorola, among other high-profile matters.
Quadrino, a partner in Washington, DC, has tried jury and bench trials before federal and state courts and handled arbitration proceedings in many different forums.
Washington, DC associate Bill Toth also comes highly recommended for trade secrets work: “His command of trade secret and copyright law is encyclopedic, yet his work product remains surgically precise … opposing experts have conceded key points before deposition simply because his evidence is airtight.”
Key matters:
- Motorola v Hytera
Steptoe represents Hytera, which was sued by Motorola in 2017 for alleged trade secret misappropriation and copyright infringement. Motorola claims that a number of its employees moved to Hytera, taking thousands of documents and source code related to its digital mobile radio (DMR) technology, and then used some of that information in developing Hytera’s DMR products. Hytera admits that its employees committed this theft.
Motorola had sought $1.1 billion in damages but this was reduced over the course of proceedings to around $400 million. Steptoe won an appeal decision in the 7th Circuit reversing and remanding a $135 million copyright award.
The cases are Motorola Solutions Inc et al v Hytera Communications Corp Ltd, case numbers 22-2370 and 22-2413, in the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Boyd Cloern leads Steptoe’s team for Hytera, which also included Alice Loughran (partner, Washington, DC), Leah Quadrino (partner, Washington, DC), Bill Toth (associate, Washington, DC), Scott Richey (of counsel, Washington, DC), Grace Wang (associate, Beijing), and Kirsten Bickelman (associate, Washington, DC).
- Motorola v Hytera
Steptoe won an appeal decision in the 7th Circuit reversing and remanding a $135 million copyright award. The case involves the firm’s defence of Hytera in its multi-year and multi-front litigation with Motorola, which centres around Motorola’s claims that numerous Motorola engineers moved to Hytera, taking thousands of documents and all of the source code related to Motorola’s DMR technology, and then used some of that information in developing Hytera’s DMR products. Hytera admits that its employees committed this theft. Boyd Cloern was lead trial counsel defending Hytera on the civil trade secrets and copyright claims and on the appeal.
Motorola initially sought damages of $1.1 billion for the theft of documents and source code that the Hytera employees admitted to. During trial, the team achieved dismissal of the state trade secret claims, and cut the damages period in half for the trade secret claims. With this most recent win on appeal, the judgment is reduced to around $400 million, saving the client an overall total of around $700m.
Along with Cloern, Steptoe’s team is Alice Loughran, Leah Quadrino, Bill Toth, Scott Richey, Grace Wang, and Kirsten Bickelman.
- United States of America v Hytera Communications Corporation
The team is defending Hytera in a 21-count Department of Justice indictment charging Hytera with conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets. The underlying civil matter is Motorola Solutions v Hytera Communications et al.
In January 2025, just prior to trial, Steptoe successfully obtained a dismissal of 20 out of the 21 criminal counts against Hytera, as well as the forfeiture claim, and reduced the maximum proposed fine from approximately $900 million down to $60 million. Hytera pled guilty to a single count of conspiracy to steal trade secrets.
A court heard arguments on the amount of the fine in November 2025.
Clients:
Arvinas, Coda Development, Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications, Hytera Communications, Solaria Corporation and Complete Solaria
