In this episode of Hiring to Firing, hosts Tracey Diamond and Emily Schifter are joined by their Troutman Pepper Locke partners, Austin Padgett and Rusty Close, who host the No Infringement Intended podcast. Together, they explore the intersection of intellectual property (IP) and employment law through the lens of the movie The Social Network. They discuss works made for hire, the impact of the Defend Trade Secrets Act, and the challenges employers of all sizes face in protecting their innovations and the inventions their employees create on their behalf. Discover the critical lessons learned from real-life IP disputes, the importance of proper documentation, and best practices for protecting your company’s ideas.

In Part 1 of this post, we began the discussion of what the Defend Trade Secrets Act, passed in May 2016, really means for employers in defending their trade secrets.  In particular, Part 1 addressed some of the “good” the DTSA offers for employers, particularly:  (1) a clear path to federal court, (2) consistency in application, and (3) ex parte seizure orders.  In this Part 2, we address the rest of the good — five more positive benefits of the DTSA for employers.