In conclusion, US Legal Forms empowers users to efficiently navigate legal documentation with a vast collection that outshines competitors. Its user-friendly platform and expert assistance ensure accuracy and adherence to legal standards.
Start simplifying your legal needs today by signing up for US Legal Forms and accessing high-quality document templates!
Popular examples of trade secrets include the recipe for Coca-Cola and the formula for WD-40. Trade secrets may also include items that a person or company has not chosen to patent yet, such as a new plant hybrid or mechanical invention.
A trade secret is something used in a company's business that (a) is not known or readily accessible by competitors, (b) has commercial value or that provides a competitive advantage in the marketplace, and (c) the owner of the information protects from disclosure through reasonable efforts to maintain its secrecy.
Under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA), a trade secret is defined as information that derives independent economic value because it is not generally known or readily ascertainable, and it is the subject of efforts to maintain secrecy.
For example, in California it is a crime to acquire, disclose or use trade secrets without authorization. Violators may be fined up to $5,000, sentenced to up to one year in jail, or both. Under Cal. Penal Code Section 499(c), trade secret theft is categorized as essentially a form of larceny.