Ropes & Gray
Firm overview:
Noted by peers for its aptitude in litigation, Ropes & Gray provides advisory services covering the full spectrum of trade secrets protection at all stages of development of the key technologies, processes, systems and products at the core of clients’ business models.
Collectively, attorneys at the firm have handled more than 100 trade secrets investigations. At the forefront of the area, Ropes & Gray was one of the first law firms in the US to be granted ex parte seizure order under the statute’s unique provisions for such orders. Significant work highlights include securing a favourable settlement for medtech company Exactech and XpandOrtho in a trade secret, unfair competition, copyright and breach of contract litigation filed against medical device company Zimmer Biomet.
The trade secrets practice draws on resources from across the firm, including the IP, labour and employment, government enforcement, business and commercial litigation, data, privacy and cyber security, and e-discovery groups.
Team overview:
In Washington, DC, Peter Brody is head of the Trademark, Copyright, False Advertising and Trade Secret Practice. Brody’s 35 years of experience litigating IP disputes includes numerous trade secrets cases and he is a recognised thought leader in the field.
Employment partner Greg Demers (Boston) regularly represents employers in complex litigation matters including disputes concerning restrictive covenants and trade secrets misappropriation, wage and hour and ERISA class actions, discrimination matters, whistleblower actions, and lawsuits brought by senior executives.
Steve Pepe (New York) chairs the firm’s IP litigation practice, with his practice focused on patent and trade secret litigation. Pepe specialises in complex infringement cases and he has achieved success for clients in the fields of computer technology, semiconductors, telecommunications, consumer products, and mechanical systems.
Key matters:
- Euna Solutions: Trade secret litigation
Euna sued two former executives and their current employer in Illinois, alleging misappropriation of trade secrets and solicitation of customers and employees, among other claims. On behalf of Euna, Ropes & Gray has filed motions for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to protect the client’s trade secrets and customer and employee relationships.
Ropes & Gray’s team is Greg Demers (partner, Boston), Jen Cormier (counsel, Boston), Timothy Farrell (partner, Chicago) and Jeffrey Bushofsky (partner, Chicago).
- Capstone Logistics litigation
Ropes & Gray is representing Capstone Logistics in a suit against five former executives and their new employer. These executives agreed to non-competition, employee non-solicitation, and customer non-solicitation covenants in exchange for compensation—including, in one case, in connection with the purchase of Load Delivered Logistics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capstone.
The suit seeks damages against the executives and their new employer, who have engaged in a campaign to target Capstone’s customers in breach of their contractual obligations, according to Ropes & Gray. The proposed settlement will bind the defendants to abide by their covenants moving forward.
Leading the team for Ropes & Gray are Greg Demers (partner, Boston) and Nicholas Berg (partner, Chicago).
Clients:
Capstone Logistics, Euna Solutions
