Russell Beck Featured in Bloomberg Law on Noncompete Agreements

October 19, 2022
, , , , , , , , News, Noncompete agreements

Russell Beck was quoted in a Bloomberg Law article about legislation in New Jersey that would require garden leave benefits in noncompete agreements.

The story is titled “N.J. Noncompete Proposal Would Make Post-Employment Pay the Norm.” The September 9, 2022, article was written by Chris Marr, who writes about labor & employment news for Bloomberg Law.

The article discusses legislation in New Jersey governing noncompete agreements that would “require full pay plus benefits for former employees whenever a noncompete or other restrictive covenant is in effect.”

The article quotes Russell as follows:

“The payment of money unquestionably makes it easier to enforce a noncompete,” said Russell Beck, an employment lawyer with Beck Reed Riden LLP in Boston.

As scrutiny of employee noncompete agreements spreads among state legislatures and courts, Beck said he’s seen a small uptick in companies opting to include garden leave in their agreements without a legal mandate for it, particularly in the financial services industry.

Russell explains the origins of the the term “garden leave” as follows:

Although often used in the US to refer to noncompetes, the term “garden leave” originated with a different kind of post-employment pay, Beck said. Employees in the UK often are contractually obligated to give a notice period before leaving their job. If the employer doesn’t want the employee on site after they’ve given notice, “the company will pay you to sit in your garden” instead, he said.

____

Russell frequently writes about current legislative efforts to regulate noncompete agreements. He was featured on NPR and quoted in the New York Times discussing federal regulatory efforts targeting noncompete agreements. In April 2020, Russell Beck and Erika Hahn’s article about the FTC’s investigation about whether it should regulate noncompetes was published by Law360. In July 2019, Law360 published Russell Beck’s analysis of misconceptions in the noncompete debate.

For up-to-the-minute analysis of legal issues concerning trade secrets and noncompete agreements in Massachusetts and across the United States, read Russell Beck’s blog, Fair Competition Law.

eck Reed Riden LLP is among the leading authorities in trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition law, and our experience handling these matters is backed by our extensive employment law and business litigation experience. Our hand-picked team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience.

The Wall Street Journal featured Beck Reed Riden LLP’s noncompete agreement experience. In 2016, the White House issued a report entitled, “Non-Compete Agreements: Analysis of the Usage, Potential Issues, and State Responses,” relying in part on Beck Reed Riden LLP’s research and analysis, including its 50 State Noncompete Survey.

Russell Beck’s work in this area is well recognized, and includes:

  • Over thirty years of experience working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters
  • Assisting the Obama White House as part of a small working group to develop President Obama’s Noncompete Call to Action
  • Authoring the book Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (6th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2021), used by other lawyers to help them with their noncompete matters
  • Authoring the book Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed. MCLE 2019), covering trade secrets nationally, with a focus on Massachusetts law
  • Drafting and advising on legislation for the Massachusetts Legislature to define, codify, and improve noncompetition law
  • Teaching Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law
  • Founding and administering the award-winning blog, Fair Competition Law
  • Establishing and administering the Noncompete Lawyers and Trade Secret Protection groups on LinkedIn, with over 1,660 and 870 members, respectively, around the world
  • Founded and chaired the Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice for an AmLaw 100 firm

In addition, Russell was honored for his work in this area of law in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide, which stated that Russell Beck is “an expert in the field of trade secret and restrictive covenant law,” and is also noted for his “ability to adjust and come up with successful solutions.” Chambers noted that Russell “basically wrote the new Massachusetts statute on noncompetes” and that “he’s an expert in employee mobility and nonrestrictive covenants.”

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

Forum Selection Clauses Head To The Supreme Court

October 18, 2022
, , , News, Noncompete agreements

Essential to the drafting of any robust employment agreement, and indeed, nearly all modern contracts, is a forum selection clause that governs that agreement. Forum selection clauses are thought to provide the parties to a contract with certainty about where any disputes arising from that contract will be heard; they are presumed to avoid congesting the courts with disputes over venue, so the parties may head to the merits of a case. In general, unless there are obvious defects with a contract’s validity, courts will honor the agreement on venue that the parties reached and memorialized in the contract.

ut what happens when a state passes a law that expressly bans contractual forum selection clauses that would remove a case from that state’s jurisdiction? This type of law is becoming increasingly common among states that view non-compete clauses and other restrictive covenants with suspicion (or outright hostility).

For example, Massachusetts’ Noncompetition Agreement Act provides that “[a]ll civil actions relating to employee noncompetition agreements subject to this section shall be brought in the county where the employee resides or, if mutually agreed upon by the employer and employee, in Suffolk county . . .” Mass. General Laws c.149 § 24L(f).

California is another example. California Labor Code Section 925 provides: “An employer shall not require an employee who primarily resides and works in California, as a condition of employment, to agree to a provision that would …:[¶] (1) Require the employee to adjudicate outside of California a claim arising in California.” (§ 925, subd. (a).) “Any provision of a contract that violates subdivision (a) is voidable by the employee, and if a provision is rendered void at the request of the employee, the matter shall be adjudicated in California and California law shall govern the dispute.” (§ 925, subd. (b).)

A classic Erie law school exam hypothetical presents itself: in the event that an employee is a California resident, and signs an employment agreement with a company that contains a forum selection clause choosing New Jersey, where will the parties be ordered to litigate if the company sues the (now former) employee when he quits and starts working for a competitor, in direct violation of his employment agreement?

his is the exact scenario before the Supreme Court in Howmedica Osteonics Corp. v. DePuy Synthes Sales, Inc., on certiorari from an opinion of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. 28 F.4th 956 (9th Cir. 2022). In that case, Jonathan Waber was a sales representative for Howmedica, and signed a standard employment agreement with the company, containing a New Jersey forum selection and choice of law provision, as well as non-compete and non-solicitation clauses that prevented former employees from competing, soliciting, and servicing for one year after their departure. Mr. Waber ultimately resigned from Howmedica, and accepted a position with DePuy Synthes Sales. When Howmedica attempted to enforce the restrictive covenants against Mr. Waber, his attorney responded by asserting that the forum selection and choice of law clauses were void under California Labor Code § 925. Communication between the parties broke down, and litigation ensued.

After Mr. Waber filed a declaratory judgment action in the Central District of California, asking the court to declare those provisions void, the petitioner moved to transfer venue to the District of New Jersey under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a). The district court denied the motion, holding that state, not federal, law governed the validity of a forum selection clause in a contract. Deeming the forum selection clause invalid, and therefore unenforceable, the court assigned no weight to the forum selection clause when evaluating the transfer factors. The Ninth Circuit affirmed, holding that § 1404(a) and Stewart Organization, Inc. v. Ricoh Corp., 487 U.S. 22 (1988) “do not broadly preempt all state laws controlling how parties may agree to or void a forum-selection clause.”

In so doing, the Ninth Circuit joined the Seventh Circuit in the minority view that state law, not federal judge-made law, controls the validity of a forum selection clause in a case sitting in diversity in federal court. The Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Tenth, Eleventh, and D.C. Circuits have all gone the other way—they hold that the issue is procedural, rather than substantive, and that federal law as pronounced in M/S Bremen v. Zapata Off-Shore Co., 407 U.S. 1 (1972) is properly applied to determine the validity, as well as the enforceability, of forum selection clauses.

The circuit split on this important issue is clear, as are the implications for its resolution. To take one example of the disparate outcomes in different jurisdictions, analyzing the very same forum selection clause, in the very same employment contract at issue, the District of New Jersey upheld the forum selection clause, and rejected arguments that California Labor Code § 925 invalidated it. Howmedica Osteonics Corp. v. Howard, 2020 WL 1102494, at *3 (D.N.J. Jan. 17, 2020), report and recommendation adopted, 2020 WL 1082601, at *1 (D.N.J. Mar. 5, 2020). Same facts—opposite outcome.

The Supreme Court has yet to announce whether it will grant certiorari for this case. While Howmedica may not spark the same headline news as other cases before the Supreme Court this term, it is definitely one to watch for practitioners in the labor and employment space.

Sarah Tishler is the author of this article. Sarah is a commercial litigator whose practice focuses on complex business disputes in state and federal courts, including intellectual property, breach of contract, and fraud claims.

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

Russell Beck in Lawyers Weekly on Discovery Sanctions

October 1, 2022
, , , , News, Trade Secret

A recent issue of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly features discussion with Russell Beck in an article titled “Flouting of e-discovery orders leads to rare sanction of default.”

The article covers a federal court decision in the U.S. District of Massachusetts concerning a misappropriation-of-trade-secrets lawsuit that resulted in the entry of sanctions against the defendants. The court order notes that the defendants were given multiple prior orders to produce certain documents, and that the defendants provided affidavits that they had complied with these orders. The article was written by Lawyers Weekly reporter Kris Olson.

In Red Wolf Energy Trading, LLC v. BIA Capital Mgmt., LLC, Judge Mark L. Wolf explained that the case “generated more meritorious motions to compel and for sanctions against defendants for failure to produce documents than any other case in which this court has presided in more than 37 years.”

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

One issue raised by the court was that myriad relevant messages exchanged by the defendants over a Slack account were not produced in a timely fashion, and that “defendants could have used ‘a standard eDiscovery processing tool’ to search and produce Slack messages for a cost of about $10,000” three years before the court’s decision. The court further explained that “[t]he law is not a game, and, as the court told defendants, civil discovery is not a game of hide and seek.”

The article quotes Russell Beck as follows:

Boston business litigator Russell Beck said another lesson from Red Wolf is in the value of paying the $10,000 for a proper forensic vendor.

“While it may feel like a lot of money, it is well worth the expense,” Beck said.

That will be especially true in cases involving allegations of misappropriated trade secrets, which come with a lot of e-discovery that can be expensive to contend with.

“But the consequences of doing it improperly can be worse,” Beck said.

____

For up-to-the-minute analysis of legal issues concerning trade secrets and noncompete agreements in Massachusetts and across the United States, read Russell Beck’s blog, Fair Competition Law.

eck Reed Riden LLP is among the leading authorities in trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition law, and our experience handling these matters is backed by our extensive employment law and business litigation experience. Our hand-picked team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience.

The Wall Street Journal featured Beck Reed Riden LLP’s noncompete agreement experience. In 2016, the White House issued a report entitled, “Non-Compete Agreements: Analysis of the Usage, Potential Issues, and State Responses,” relying in part on Beck Reed Riden LLP’s research and analysis, including its 50 State Noncompete Survey.

Russell Beck’s work in this area is well recognized, and includes:

  • Over thirty years of experience working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters
  • Assisting the Obama White House as part of a small working group to develop President Obama’s Noncompete Call to Action
  • Authoring the book Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (6th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2021), used by other lawyers to help them with their noncompete matters
  • Authoring the book Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed. MCLE 2019), covering trade secrets nationally, with a focus on Massachusetts law
  • Drafting and advising on legislation for the Massachusetts Legislature to define, codify, and improve noncompetition law
  • Teaching Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law
  • Founding and administering the award-winning blog, Fair Competition Law
  • Establishing and administering the Noncompete Lawyers and Trade Secret Protection groups on LinkedIn, with over 1,660 and 870 members, respectively, around the world
  • Founded and chaired the Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice for an AmLaw 100 firm

In addition, Russell was honored for his work in this area of law in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide, which stated that Russell Beck is “an expert in the field of trade secret and restrictive covenant law,” and is also noted for his “ability to adjust and come up with successful solutions.” Chambers noted that Russell “basically wrote the new Massachusetts statute on noncompetes” and that “he’s an expert in employee mobility and nonrestrictive covenants.”

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

Russell Beck to Chair Noncompete and Restrictive Covenants Conference

September 27, 2022
, , Federal Noncompete Regulation, News, Noncompete agreements, Trade Secret

Russell Beck will be serving as the chairperson of Practising Law Institute’s full-day program on noncompete agreements.

The program, which will be held in New York City, is titled “Noncompetes and Restrictive Covenants 2022: What Every Lawyer, Human Resources Professional, and Key Strategic Decisionmaker Should Know.”

The conference starts at 9 a.m. ET on September 29, 2022. Russell will be giving the opening remarks. More information and registration is available here.

This conference is “a unique full-day program, offering an in-depth look at noncompete laws nationally.”

Throughout the day, experts in the field of employee restrictive covenant agreements will be giving informative presentations. The program is described as follows:

Noncompete agreements and similar restrictive covenants help companies protect their trade secrets, customer relationships, and other recognized legitimate business interests. But, noncompete laws vary state by state, ranging from bans in California, Oklahoma, and North Dakota, to strong, pro-enforcement policies in Florida. And, while public opinion, evolving state legislation, emerging federal regulation, and trends in judicial review and enforcement are moving toward greater restrictions on the use of these agreements, the risks posed by employees who are not subject to restrictive covenants is increasing.

Understanding the changing landscape and its complications and implications is nothing short of critical – particularly for companies engaged in business across state lines.

Bringing together experts and thought leaders from around the country, the program starts with a level-setting of basic noncompete law, and then delves into nuanced and advanced issues from the perspectives of the employee, the former employer, and the new employer.

In addition, according to the course description, attendees will:

  • Get the latest legislative developments regarding noncompete agreements and best practices from practitioners
  • Learn what the protectable business interest are and how to protect them, particularly with a remote workforce and during employee departures and on-boarding
  • Discover how to use state of the art computer forensics to bolster your case for enforcement, and what it means for the defense
  • Find out advanced practices for seeking and defending against temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and related preliminary orders
  • Gain insight into the practical aspects of enforcing and defending against noncompetes
  • Understand the key issues and what to do when not just one key employee leaves, but when there is a group lift-out
  • Learn how to spot and avoid the ethical traps common in restrictive covenant matters

The presentation is for any “in-house counsel, business and trade secrets litigation counsel, employment lawyers, human resources professionals, and other allied key strategic personnel.”

For up-to-the-minute analysis of legal issues concerning noncompete agreements in Massachusetts and across the United States, read Russell Beck’s blog, Fair Competition Law.

eck Reed Riden LLP is among the leading authorities in trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition law, and our experience handling these matters is backed by our extensive employment law and business litigation experience. Our hand-picked team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience.

The Wall Street Journal featured Beck Reed Riden LLP’s noncompete agreement experience. In 2016, the White House issued a report entitled, “Non-Compete Agreements: Analysis of the Usage, Potential Issues, and State Responses,” relying in part on Beck Reed Riden LLP’s research and analysis, including its 50 State Noncompete Survey.

Russell Beck’s work in this area is well recognized, and includes:

  • Over thirty years of experience working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters
  • Assisting the Obama White House as part of a small working group to develop President Obama’s Noncompete Call to Action
  • Authoring the book Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (6th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2021), used by other lawyers to help them with their noncompete matters
  • Authoring the book Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed. MCLE 2019), covering trade secrets nationally, with a focus on Massachusetts law
  • Drafting and advising on legislation for the Massachusetts Legislature to define, codify, and improve noncompetition law
  • Teaching Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law
  • Founding and administering the award-winning blog, Fair Competition Law
  • Establishing and administering the Noncompete Lawyers and Trade Secret Protection groups on LinkedIn, with over 1,660 and 870 members, respectively, around the world
  • Founded and chaired the Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice for an AmLaw 100 firm

In addition, Russell was honored for his work in this area of law in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide, which stated that Russell Beck is “an expert in the field of trade secret and restrictive covenant law,” and is also noted for his “ability to adjust and come up with successful solutions.” Chambers noted that Russell “basically wrote the new Massachusetts statute on noncompetes” and that “he’s an expert in employee mobility and nonrestrictive covenants.”

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

Intellectual Property Owners Association to Feature Russell Beck

September 18, 2022
, , Federal Noncompete Regulation, News, Noncompete agreements, Trade Secret

On Monday, September 19, 2022, Russell Beck will be speaking about noncompete agreements at the Intellectual Property Owners Association’s 2022 Annual Meeting.

Ipo org logo.JPG

According to the IPO, the event, which will be held in Los Angeles, “brings together IP professionals from around the world to discuss strategies, trends, and best practices. More than 25 education sessions will be offered on patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, AI, trade secrets, and professional development.”

Russell’s presentation is titled “Hold on to Your Trade Secrets: The Winds of Change Are Howling Around Employee Non-Compete Agreements.”

The presentation is described as follows:

There is a growing tension between employee mobility, specifically the enforceability of non-compete and non-disclosure agreements post-employment, and strong trade secret protection, both of which intended to promote innovation and stimulate the US economy.

This session will explore this tension and whether the focus on employee mobility is eroding trade secret protection in light of recent developments such as (1) President Biden’s July 2021 Executive Order directing the Federal Trade Commission to consider issuing rules “to curtail the unfair use of non-compete clauses and other clauses or agreements that may unfairly limit worker mobility,” (2) the Uniform Law Commission’s newly proposed Uniform Restrictive Employment Agreements Act for possible adoption by states, and (3) various state laws and proposed legislation promoting employee mobility. Panelists will also explore steps trade secret owners can take in anticipation of recent and potential legislation favoring employee mobility.

Russell’s presentation is scheduled for Monday, September 19, from 2:45pm-3:45pm PT. A complete schedule of events is available here.

The other panelists for the presentation are:

  • Nicholas Clifford, Tucker Ellis LLP
  • Robert Isackson, Leason Ellis LLP
  • Dawn Mertineit, Seyfarth Shaw

The IPO describes its mission as follows:

Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), established in 1972, is an international trade association representing a “big tent” of diverse companies, law firms, service providers and individuals in all industries and fields of technology that own, or are interested in, intellectual property (IP) rights. IPO membership includes over 125 companies and spans over 30 countries. IPO advocates for effective and affordable IP ownership rights and offers a wide array of services, including supporting member interests relating to legislative and international issues; analyzing current IP issues; providing information and educational services; supporting and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion in IP and innovation; and disseminating information to the public on the importance of IP rights.

The IPO’s member organizations include a diverse array of companies and law firms, including Google, Nike, and Novartis.

For up-to-the-minute analysis of legal issues concerning noncompete agreements in Massachusetts and across the United States, read Russell Beck’s blog, Fair Competition Law.

eck Reed Riden LLP is among the leading authorities in trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition law, and our experience handling these matters is backed by our extensive employment law and business litigation experience. Our hand-picked team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience.

The Wall Street Journal featured Beck Reed Riden LLP’s noncompete agreement experience. In 2016, the White House issued a report entitled, “Non-Compete Agreements: Analysis of the Usage, Potential Issues, and State Responses,” relying in part on Beck Reed Riden LLP’s research and analysis, including its 50 State Noncompete Survey.

Russell Beck’s work in this area is well recognized, and includes:

  • Over thirty years of experience working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters
  • Assisting the Obama White House as part of a small working group to develop President Obama’s Noncompete Call to Action
  • Authoring the book Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (6th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2021), used by other lawyers to help them with their noncompete matters
  • Authoring the book Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed. MCLE 2019), covering trade secrets nationally, with a focus on Massachusetts law
  • Drafting and advising on legislation for the Massachusetts Legislature to define, codify, and improve noncompetition law
  • Teaching Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law
  • Founding and administering the award-winning blog, Fair Competition Law
  • Establishing and administering the Noncompete Lawyers and Trade Secret Protection groups on LinkedIn, with over 1,660 and 870 members, respectively, around the world
  • Founded and chaired the Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice for an AmLaw 100 firm

In addition, Russell was honored for his work in this area of law in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide, which stated that Russell Beck is “an expert in the field of trade secret and restrictive covenant law,”and is also noted for his “ability to adjust and come up with successful solutions.” Chambers noted that Russell “basically wrote the new Massachusetts statute on noncompetes” and that “he’s an expert in employee mobility and nonrestrictive covenants.”

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigationand employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

Russell Beck to Speak at PLI Noncompete Agreement Program

September 7, 2022
, , Federal Noncompete Regulation, News, Noncompete agreements, Trade Secret

On Friday, September 9, 2022, Russell Beck will be speaking at Practising Law Institute’s program on noncompete agreements.

The program, which will be held online, is titled “Level-Setting: A Crash Course in Noncompetes and Other Restrictive Covenants, From Soup to Nuts.”

The one-hour program starts at 1 p.m. ET on September 9, 2022. More information and registration is available here.

Speakers will “provide basics to help [attendees] learn … about restrictive covenant law, including understanding the types of restrictive covenants and protectable interests. ”

In addition, according to the course description, attendees will:

  • Be given an overview of the law of noncompete and other restrictive covenants
  • Get a look into what’s happened recently at the state and federal governments
  • Gain insights into where the law is headed
  • Learn how to know which restrictive covenants to use, and when to use them

The presentation is for any “lawyer or human resources personnel that assists companies or individuals in evaluating, enforcing, and defending against noncompetes and other restrictive covenants, anyone involved in the hiring of employees, and anyone else responsible for an organization’s internal hiring policies or lobbying on related issues.”

The other panelists for the presentation are:

For up-to-the-minute analysis of legal issues concerning noncompete agreements in Massachusetts and across the United States, read Russell Beck’s blog, Fair Competition Law.

eck Reed Riden LLP is among the leading authorities in trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition law, and our experience handling these matters is backed by our extensive employment law and business litigation experience. Our hand-picked team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience.

The Wall Street Journal featured Beck Reed Riden LLP’s noncompete agreement experience. In 2016, the White House issued a report entitled, “Non-Compete Agreements: Analysis of the Usage, Potential Issues, and State Responses,” relying in part on Beck Reed Riden LLP’s research and analysis, including its 50 State Noncompete Survey.

Russell Beck’s work in this area is well recognized, and includes:

  • Over thirty years of experience working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters
  • Assisting the Obama White House as part of a small working group to develop President Obama’s Noncompete Call to Action
  • Authoring the book Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (6th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2021), used by other lawyers to help them with their noncompete matters
  • Authoring the book Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed. MCLE 2019), covering trade secrets nationally, with a focus on Massachusetts law
  • Drafting and advising on legislation for the Massachusetts Legislature to define, codify, and improve noncompetition law
  • Teaching Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law
  • Founding and administering the award-winning blog, Fair Competition Law
  • Establishing and administering the Noncompete Lawyers and Trade Secret Protection groups on LinkedIn, with over 1,660 and 870 members, respectively, around the world
  • Founded and chaired the Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice for an AmLaw 100 firm

In addition, Russell was honored for his work in this area of law in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide, which stated that Russell Beck is “an expert in the field of trade secret and restrictive covenant law,” and is also noted for his “ability to adjust and come up with successful solutions.” Chambers noted that Russell “basically wrote the new Massachusetts statute on noncompetes” and that “he’s an expert in employee mobility and nonrestrictive covenants.”

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

Russell Beck to Speak at The Sedona Conference on Trade Secrets

September 6, 2022
, Defend Trade Secrets Act, News, Trade Secret

On September 7, 2022, Russell Beck is scheduled to serve as a Dialogue Leader for The Sedona Conference’s Working Group on Trade Secrets.

Russell is scheduled to speak on a panel titled “Draft Commentary Review: What Can and Cannot Be a Protectable Trade Secret.”

The two-day annual meeting for The Sedona Conference Working Group 12 will be held in Reston, Virginia, and starts on Wednesday, September 7, 2022. More information is available here.

According to the agenda, Russell’s “panel will explore several important issues: Is confidential information coextensive with trade secrets? What is or is not a trade secret?  And how does one distinguish between trade secrets and an employee’s general skill and knowledge? The dialogue leaders will discuss and elicit membership feedback on the status, outstanding issues, and direction of this draft commentary.”

This conference will present several publications from the trade secrets group for public dialogue, including commentaries on the following topics:

  • Ethics Issues in Trade Secret Disputes
  • Forensic Issues In Trade Secret Disputes
  • Model Jury Instructions under the DTSA
  • Remedies in Trade Secret Litigation
  • Cross-Border Discovery in Patent Litigation and Trade Secret Litigation

Speakers at the annual meeting include a wide array of judges, in-house, and outside counsel.

he Sedona Conference Working Group Series was launched in 2002 and represents the evolution of The Sedona Conference from a forum for advanced dialogue to an open think-tank confronting some of the most challenging issues faced by our legal system today.

The mission of Working Group 12 is to develop consensus and nonpartisan principles for managing trade secret litigation and well-vetted guidelines for consideration in protecting trade secrets, recognizing that every organization has and uses trade secrets, that trade secret disputes frequently intersect with other important public policies such as employee mobility and international trade, and that trade secret disputes are litigated in both state and federal courts.

The Sedona Conference Working Group Series was launched in 2002 and represents the evolution of The Sedona Conference from a forum for advanced dialogue to an open think-tank confronting some of the most challenging issues faced by our legal system today.

The mission of Working Group 12 is to develop consensus and nonpartisan principles for managing trade secret litigation and well-vetted guidelines for consideration in protecting trade secrets, recognizing that every organization has and uses trade secrets, that trade secret disputes frequently intersect with other important public policies such as employee mobility and international trade, and that trade secret disputes are litigated in both state and federal courts.

For up-to-the-minute analysis of legal issues concerning trade secrets and noncompete agreements in Massachusetts and across the United States, read Russell Beck’s blog, Fair Competition Law.

eck Reed Riden LLP is among the leading authorities in trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition law, and our experience handling these matters is backed by our extensive employment law and business litigation experience. Our hand-picked team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience.

The Wall Street Journal featured Beck Reed Riden LLP’s noncompete agreement experience. In 2016, the White House issued a report entitled, “Non-Compete Agreements: Analysis of the Usage, Potential Issues, and State Responses,” relying in part on Beck Reed Riden LLP’s research and analysis, including its 50 State Noncompete Survey.

Russell Beck’s work in this area is well recognized, and includes:

  • Over thirty years of experience working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters
  • Assisting the Obama White House as part of a small working group to develop President Obama’s Noncompete Call to Action
  • Authoring the book Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (6th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2021), used by other lawyers to help them with their noncompete matters
  • Authoring the book Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed. MCLE 2019), covering trade secrets nationally, with a focus on Massachusetts law
  • Drafting and advising on legislation for the Massachusetts Legislature to define, codify, and improve noncompetition law
  • Teaching Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law
  • Founding and administering the award-winning blog, Fair Competition Law
  • Establishing and administering the Noncompete Lawyers and Trade Secret Protection groups on LinkedIn, with over 1,660 and 870 members, respectively, around the world
  • Founded and chaired the Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice for an AmLaw 100 firm

In addition, Russell was honored for his work in this area of law in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide, which stated that Russell Beck is “an expert in the field of trade secret and restrictive covenant law,” and is also noted for his “ability to adjust and come up with successful solutions.” Chambers noted that Russell “basically wrote the new Massachusetts statute on noncompetes” and that “he’s an expert in employee mobility and nonrestrictive covenants.”

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

Russell Beck Giving Noncompete Presentation to State Bar of Georgia

August 30, 2022
Federal Noncompete Regulation, News, Noncompete agreements

State Bar of GeorgiaOn August 31, 2022, Russell Beck will serve as a panelist at the Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets seminar presented by the State Bar of Georgia.

Russell will be speaking on a panel titled “Recent Legislative Developments: Are Noncompetes Going To Be Banned?” The conference in Atlanta starts at 8 a.m. ET on August 31, 2022. More information is available here.

According to the conference’s organizers, “Since 1995, this annual seminar on Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets has provided an opportunity for litigators and transactional lawyers to learn everything they need to know about the law in Georgia and beyond. In addition to providing an update on restrictive covenant and trade secret law, the seminar will delve into the judicial viewpoint on noncompete and trade secret cases, computer forensic issues that arise in these disputes, as well as the changing landscape of restrictive covenant legislation.”

Russell’s panel includes Michael P. Elkon, of Fisher & Phillips LLP. The panel will be moderated by Benjamin I. Fink, of Berman Fink Van Horn P.C.

Additional topics that will be covered at the Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets seminar include the following:

  • Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets Cases: A View From the Bench
  • Choice of Law, Venue, and Other Procedural Issues in Restrictive Covenant Litigation
  • Forensic Analysis: I Suspect Theft of Proprietary Information, What Do I Do Now?

For up-to-the-minute analysis of legal issues concerning trade secrets and noncompete agreements in Massachusetts and across the United States, read Russell Beck’s blog, Fair Competition Law.

eck Reed Riden LLP is among the leading authorities in trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition law, and our experience handling these matters is backed by our extensive employment law and business litigation experience. Our hand-picked team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience.

The Wall Street Journal featured Beck Reed Riden LLP’s noncompete agreement experience. In 2016, the White House issued a report entitled, “Non-Compete Agreements: Analysis of the Usage, Potential Issues, and State Responses,” relying in part on Beck Reed Riden LLP’s research and analysis, including its 50 State Noncompete Survey.

Russell Beck’s work in this area is well recognized, and includes:

  • Over thirty years of experience working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters
  • Assisting the Obama White House as part of a small working group to develop President Obama’s Noncompete Call to Action
  • Authoring the book Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (6th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2021), used by other lawyers to help them with their noncompete matters
  • Authoring the book Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed. MCLE 2019), covering trade secrets nationally, with a focus on Massachusetts law
  • Drafting and advising on legislation for the Massachusetts Legislature to define, codify, and improve noncompetition law
  • Teaching Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law
  • Founding and administering the award-winning blog, Fair Competition Law
  • Establishing and administering the Noncompete Lawyers and Trade Secret Protection groups on LinkedIn, with over 1,660 and 870 members, respectively, around the world
  • Founded and chaired the Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice for an AmLaw 100 firm

In addition, Russell was honored for his work in this area of law in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide, which stated that Russell Beck is “an expert in the field of trade secret and restrictive covenant law,” and is also noted for his “ability to adjust and come up with successful solutions.” Chambers noted that Russell “basically wrote the new Massachusetts statute on noncompetes” and that “he’s an expert in employee mobility and nonrestrictive covenants.”

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

Russell Beck Named Boston’s Lawyer of the Year in Two Categories by Best Lawyers in America®

August 18, 2022
, , News

Russell Beck was named the Best Lawyers® 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” in Litigation – Labor and Employment in Boston, and Trade Secrets Law  in Boston.

This year, Russell was named the Best Lawyers® 2023  “Lawyer of the Year” in two separate categories. Last year, Russell was named the Best Lawyers® 2022  “Lawyer of the Year” in Litigation – Labor and Employment in Boston.

This accolade is awarded to individual lawyers with the highest overall peer-feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. Only one lawyer is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location.

In addition, three other lawyers at Beck Reed Riden LLP have been named to the 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers, and one of its lawyers was included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Best Lawyers has published their list for over three decades. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries.

Best Lawyers Award BadgeLawyers on the Best Lawyers in America ® list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise, and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing. For the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, more than 12.2 million votes were analyzed to identify the top legal talent, as identified by their peers.

eck Reed Riden LLP is among the leading authorities in trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition law, and our experience handling these matters is backed by our extensive employment law and business litigation experience. Our hand-picked team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience.

The Wall Street Journal featured Beck Reed Riden LLP’s noncompete agreement experience. In 2016, the White House issued a report entitled, “Non-Compete Agreements: Analysis of the Usage, Potential Issues, and State Responses,” relying in part on Beck Reed Riden LLP’s research and analysis, including its 50 State Noncompete Survey.

Russell Beck’s work in this area is well recognized, and includes:

  • Over thirty years of experience working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters
  • Assisting the Obama White House as part of a small working group to develop President Obama’s Noncompete Call to Action
  • Authoring the book Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (6th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2021), used by other lawyers to help them with their noncompete matters
  • Authoring the book Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed. MCLE 2019), covering trade secrets nationally, with a focus on Massachusetts law
  • Drafting and advising on legislation for the Massachusetts Legislature to define, codify, and improve noncompetition law
  • Teaching Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law
  • Founding and administering the award-winning blog, Fair Competition Law
  • Establishing and administering the Noncompete Lawyers and Trade Secret Protection groups on LinkedIn, with over 1,660 and 870 members, respectively, around the world
  • Founded and chaired the Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice for an AmLaw 100 firm

In addition, Russell was honored for his work in this area of law in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide, which stated that Russell Beck is “an expert in the field of trade secret and restrictive covenant law,” and is also noted for his “ability to adjust and come up with successful solutions.” Chambers noted that Russell “basically wrote the new Massachusetts statute on noncompetes” and that “he’s an expert in employee mobility and nonrestrictive covenants.”

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

Beck Reed Riden LLP Attorneys Named to 2023 Best Lawyers in America List

August 18, 2022
, , , , , , News

Beck Reed Riden LLP is pleased to announce that four of its lawyers have been named to the 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers, and one of its lawyers was included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. In addition, Russell Beck was named the 2023 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” in Litigation – Labor and Employment in Boston, and Trade Secrets Law in Boston.

Russell Beck, Stephen Riden, Nicole Daly, and Bob Shea were named to the 2023 Best Lawyers in America list in the following categories:

  • Russell Beck, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, and Trade Secrets Law
  • Steve Riden, Commercial Litigation
  • Nicole Daly, Employment Law – Management, and Litigation – Labor and Employment
  • Bob Shea, Employment Law – Management

In addition, Jillian Carson was included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Labor and Employment.

Best Lawyers has published their list for over three decades. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 65 countries.

Best Lawyers Award BadgeLawyers on the Best Lawyers in America ® list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise, and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing. For the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, more than 12.2 million votes were analyzed to identify the top legal talent, as identified by their peers.

Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and employment.

We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.

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