Category Archives: Confidential Information

When it Comes to Lawyers and Allegiances, Execs Should Look Out for No. 1

Embattled former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes learned an inconvenient truth when it comes to allegiances between outside law firms, their corporate clients and individuals on the executive team. In pretrial wrangling before the August 31 start of her federal criminal … Continue reading

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Unexpected Consequences from the Pandemic Shutdown – A Spike in Whistleblower Complaints

There’s a curious byproduct from the COVID-19 economic crisis and business shutdown – a sharp increase in SEC whistleblower complaints and lawsuits filed by workers against employers. From mid-March to mid-May, the SEC reported approximately 4,000 whistleblower complaints, a 35 … Continue reading

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Texas Appellate Court Goes the Extra Mile (literally) in Non-Compete Dispute, Expands Geographic Scope of Injunction

An appellate ruling from the Dallas Fifth Court of Appeals in January is an important read for those who closely follow Texas non-compete litigation.    The opinion in Richard Gehrke and Pacific Companies Inc. v Merritt Hawkins and Associates is a rare example … Continue reading

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For Execs Confronting Extortion Shakedowns, Few Reasons to Participate

A juicy corporate scandal has a unique ability to wipe away billions from a corporation’s market cap with frightening speed, so it’s no wonder that executives are prone to quake when faced with the prospect of responding to the threat … Continue reading

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C-Suite Lessons from Ghosn’s Nissan Ouster

For Carlos Ghosn – one of the highest-flying chief executives in the world (literally) – home has been a 50-square-foot cell since Japanese authorities announced a series of vague allegations against him for underreporting his compensation and misusing company property. … Continue reading

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Dating App Execs Make Failed Tinder-Bumble Merger Personal

A nasty court fight unfolding between Texas-based dating apps Tinder and Bumble has all of the elements of a soap opera drama – romance, unfaithfulness, intrigue and, of course, revenge. The mess began just four years ago with a bitter … Continue reading

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Trump-Daniels Affair Exposes Inherent Legal Challenges with Hush Agreements

There are plenty of clues that the so-called “hush agreement” between Donald Trump and porn actress Stormy Daniels (née Stephanie Clifford) was hastily crafted and poorly thought out. Executed just days before the 2016, the non-disparagement agreement has a wealth … Continue reading

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As Date Nears for Google v. Uber Trade Secret Trial, Uber Insiders Describe Culture of Espionage and Secrecy

In the year since Google’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary Waymo first leveled allegations that Uber had poached star engineer Anthony Levandowski knowing that he was bringing a raft of stolen trade secrets with him, the contentious litigation has consistently revealed new … Continue reading

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Errant Email Steers Uber into Trade Secret Trouble

It’s too early to know the degree of vetting that occurred before Uber handed Anthony Levandowski nearly $700 million for his fledgling autonomous truck company named Otto and brought him aboard to lead Uber’s self-driving vehicle division. A high-profile trade … Continue reading

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President Not Alone in Cavalier Approach to Protecting the Digital Crown Jewels

President Not Alone in Cavalier Approach to Protecting the Digital Crown Jewels Continue reading

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