Trade Secrets

Washington, D.C.-based partner, and head of the firm's Homeland Security practice, David Bodenheimer, is interviewed about how cybersecurity is an area that may not see as many cuts or hiring freezes due to sequestration. He also offers advice to IT departments who may be preparing for the impact of sequestration.

Michael J. Songer, partner and co-chair of the firm's Litigation Group, discusses strategies for handling cases in district courts called "rocket docket's," who have gained a reputation for moving cases along quickly to trial.

David Bodenheimer, co-chair of the firm's Privacy & Cybersecurity practice, was quoted in STORES magazine, the official publication of the National Retail Federation (NRF), the world’s largest retail trade association. Bodenheimer was featured in a story about cybersecurity and its implications for the retail industry. The piece addresses President Obama’s focus on cybersecurity in his February 2013 State of the Union address.

Continuing a discussion with Law360, Washington, D.C.-based partner David Bodenheimer points out hurdles the GSA's FedRAMP process could face while trying to consolidate agencies' servers and moving data storage to a cloud computing platform.

Washington, D.C. based-partner, David Bodenheimer, answers questions for Government Contracts Law360 in their "Practice Leader Q&A Series." David describes one of the most challenging cases he's been part of, and lessons learned from when he first started practicing law.

The U.S. District Court for Eastern Virginia found that Kolon Industries failed to prove that Crowell & Moring client DuPont monopolized the market for the material, or used its contracts with customers to shut out rivals. Crowell & Moring chairman and Antitrust Group partner Kent A. Gardiner told Global Competition Review, "Discovery proved that not a single customer complained about DuPont's business practices, or sided with Kolon in support of its claims. The court rightly found that DuPont neither was a monopolist in the market nor engaged in any anti-competitive conduct."

A Virginia federal judge dismissed an antitrust suit brought by Kolon Industries Inc. against Crowell & Moring client DuPont over a synthetic fiber used in body armor, finding there was no evidence of a monopoly by DuPont. U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne granted DuPont's motion for summary judgment, ruling that the DuPont did not monopolize or attempt to monopolize the para-aramid fiber market and held that competition in the industry is thriving. Speaking to Competition Law360, Kent A. Gardiner, Crowell & Moring chairman and Antitrust Group partner, said, "The ruling fully vindicates DuPont’s business practices in this critical sector of the economy. The court rightly found that DuPont neither was a monopolist in the market nor engaged in any anti-competitive conduct."

Crowell & Moring is listed among 17 firms that received praise from corporate counsel for improving their client focus in the BTI Client Service A-Team 2012 report by the BTI Consulting Group Inc.

According to the article, “While many firms have been increasing their emphasis on client service to remain competitive, a few made strong pushes toward more in-person meetings, satisfaction surveys and follow-up calls this year, earning them the designation of most improved in a new survey of corporate counsel.”

Washington, D.C.-based Litigation Group partner and Trade Secrets team member Michael J. Songer was photographed with McGuire Woods co-counsel in America Lawyer for their successful trial strategy in a trade secrets lawsuit that secured a $920 million jury verdict for client DuPont.  The case against Kolon Industries Inc. was over DuPont’s Kevlar brand body armor product.

According the article, “Songer’s team uncovered a document suggesting that defendant Kolon Industries, Inc., was withholding evidence.”

Washington, D.C.-based Litigation Group partner and Trade Secrets team member Michael J. Songer speaks with Managing Intellectual Property about the importance of trade secrets protection in this new age of an information society. Songer highlights how companies must be committed to protecting their R&D by seeing litigation through and also take the necessary steps with departing employees.

According to Songer, “recent high-profile trade secrets cases in the US have created more awareness among the general public about the importance of trade secrets to companies.”

On the heels of a trade secrets theft win for client DuPont Co. against Kolon Industries Inc., Crowell & Moring’s Trade Secrets team talks about the important steps manufacturers should take to reduce their vulnerability to information security leaks.

According to partner Michael J. Songer, manufacturers should take the following measures to protect their intellectual property: secure their computers but don't hinder employee productivity; protect sensitive information with technology that limits employee access to particular files; and make their expectations clear regarding private information upon an employee's exit.

Washington, D.C.-based Litigation Group partner and Trade Secrets team member Michael J. Songer, and McGuireWoods co-counsel, are featured in The AmLaw Litigation Daily’s, "Litigators of the Week." On September 14, 2011, Songer and co-counsel obtained a successful $919.9 million verdict for DuPont in a trade secrets theft case involving the company’s Kevlar product. The jury awarded DuPont $919.9 million in this case.

Crowell & Moring’s Trade Secrets Group is highlighted in IP Law360 as co-counsel for DuPont in their $919 million win against Kolon Industries.

According to DuPont Senior Vice President and general counsel Thomas L. Sager, “The size of this award is one of the largest in defense of business processes and technologies.”