steve riden | Beck Reed Riden LLP

28Jan2026

Steve Riden Named a “Go To Lawyer” for Commercial / Consumer Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

January 28, 2026

commercial litigation, Go To Lawyers, massachusetts lawyers weekly, stephen riden, steve riden News

Beck Reed Riden LLP is proud to announce that Steve Riden has been named one of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s “Go To Lawyers” for Commercial and Consumer Law.

The Massachusetts Go To Lawyers program, launched in 2020, recognizes leaders in the Massachusetts legal community by practice area. The attorneys featured in this special issue were nominated by their peers and selected by a panel from Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly for their depth of experience, record of success, and reputation for excellence in their field.

This honor reflects Steve’s commitment to providing strategic, practical counsel to clients ranging from startups to global enterprises, and his dedication to excellence in commercial litigation.

The following biography was included in Steve Riden’s profile in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly:

Years in practice: 26

Best known for:

Representing companies and individuals in complex disputes involving trade secrets and restrictive covenants, including noncompete agreements. I also frequently advise clients on protecting proprietary information and navigating employee transition issues.

Why I chose my practice area:

The work is endlessly interesting because no two matters are ever the same. Disputes involving restrictive covenants are inherently fact intensive and nuanced, and each case presents a unique set of facts and potential arguments. Trade secret protection and misappropriation matters often require a detective’s mindset, which makes the work both challenging and enjoyable. The fast-paced nature of these disputes keeps things exciting. When my partners and I founded Beck Reed Riden 15 years ago, we shared a passion for this kind of work.

Most memorable case:

The occasions when a judge decided to have parties present live testimony rather than ruling on a motion for preliminary injunction based on the papers. These situations compressed written discovery, depositions, witness preparation, and a mini-trial into just a few weeks — requiring total focus and teamwork under significant time pressure.

What makes me a leader in my field:

Showing up for my clients and colleagues prepared, engaged, and committed to doing the best I can.

Outlook for 2026:

Noncompete law remains in constant flux, with states likely continuing to revise their statutes and the FTC signaling aggressive enforcement ahead. Blockbuster trade secret verdicts will continue highlighting the importance of proactive compliance and thoughtful litigation strategies.

Bar involvement/leadership roles:

President of the Boston College Law School Alumni Association (2020); chair and co-chair of the Boston Bar Journal Board of Editors (2020-2022); co-chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Business and Commercial Litigation Section; articles editor for The Federal Lawyer.

Steve Riden is a commercial litigator who represents corporate and individual clients in a wide array of disputes across the country. Steve has extensive experience litigating business disputes involving breach of contract, fraud, unfair competition, trade secrets, and noncompete agreements.

Widely regarded as a thought leader in business litigation, Steve frequently writes and speaks on topics such as trade secret protection, noncompete enforcement, and emerging trends in commercial disputes. Steve also serves in leadership roles within the Boston legal community, including past service as President of the Boston College Law School Alumni Association and as Co-Chair of the Boston Bar Journal Board of Editors.

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.

28Dec2025

Russell Beck and Steve Riden Named Top 100 Lawyers

December 28, 2025

Steve RIden

russell beck, stephen riden, steve riden, super lawyers, top 100 News

Super Lawyers Magazine has again selected Russell Beck and Stephen Riden as two of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Massachusetts.

The firm is proud to celebrate Russell and Steve for this continued recognition of their outstanding legal expertise and dedication to their clients.

Russell Beck is a business and intellectual property litigator, nationally recognized for his trade secrets and noncompete experi ence. Russell has more than thirty years of experience as a complex business and intellectual property litigator, representing corporate and individual clients throughout the country. Russell has also been named one of the 2025 Top 10 Super Lawyers in Massachusetts.

The selection of the top 100 Super Lawyers in Massachusetts is based on a process of peer review following a survey of lawyers from the region. The Super Lawyers selection process is described in detail here.

14Sep2025

Russell Beck & Steve Riden to Speak at PLI’s Noncompetes and Restrictive Covenants 2025

September 14, 2025

Steve RIden

PLI, Practising Law Institute, russell beck, stephen riden, steve riden Federal Noncompete Regulation, News, Noncompete agreements, Trade Secret

Russell Beck and Steve Riden will be presenting at Practising Law Institute’s program “Noncompetes and Restrictive Covenants 2025: An In-Depth Look into What Every Lawyer, Human Resources Professional, and Key Strategic Decisionmaker Needs to Know,” on Thursday, September 18, 2025, starting at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Russell is the Chairperson of the event.

The event is being held in New York City and will be available online. More information and registration is available here.

Russell and Steve will bring their deep experience in trade secret, noncompete, and restrictive covenant law to discussions of the current legal landscape, including:

How state laws are evolving (particularly for low-wage workers, threshold changes, notice requirements, etc.) and how those changes affect drafting, enforcing, and defending restrictive covenants.
Issues with enforceability when employees are remote, cross state lines, or subject to conflicting jurisdiction / choice-of-law clauses.
Risks and damages for companies, employees, and new employers when restrictive covenants run afoul of state laws or are misused.
Best practices: drafting noncompetes / restrictive covenants that are more likely to survive scrutiny; handling employee departures; and avoiding pitfalls and ethical concerns in the negotiation, enforcement, and defense of such agreements.

The presentation is for any “those responsible for assisting clients in drafting, negotiating, enforcing, and defending against noncompetes and other restrictive covenants. It will benefit in-house counsel, corporate counsel, commercial and trade secrets litigation counsel, employment lawyers, human resources professionals, and other allied key strategic personnel.”

ussell will be giving the opening remarks for the program.

Steve will be speaking on a panel titled “Protecting Your Business’s Local or National Workforce in a Quickly Changing Legislative Landscape.” This panel will explore recent changes in state laws concerning noncompetes, and discuss what to do if noncompetes are removed from a company’s arsenal of tools.

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 2024 Chambers USA Guide, which stated that Russell Beck is “noted for his skillful reputation of business clients in a variety of disputes. He is particularly noted for his trade secrets work.” A respondent to Chambers’ survey said that “Russell is just tremendous. He’s one of the most well-respected noncompete lawyers.”

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.

6Jul2025

The Legal 500 US Elite Honors Russell Beck and Steve Riden

July 6, 2025

Steve RIden

Legal 500, legal 500 us elite, russell beck, stephen riden, steve riden, us elite News

Russell Beck and Stephen Riden were recognized by The Legal 500 US Elite rankings for commercial litigation.

According to The Legal 500, “US Elite emphasizes lawyers who are handling work at the top of the legal market in their respective cities.”

The inaugural ranking recognizes 33 Boston-area attorneys across four tiers. Russell was included in Tier One, and Steve was included in Tier Two.

The Legal 500 US Elite provides impartial, third-party opinions on leading lawyers and law firms across the country. The Legal 500 relies upon a sophisticated methodology and extensive research to determine which firms and attorneys are included in its list. The Legal 500 explains that “Legal 500 US Elite aims to highlight key lawyers operating at regional players across business centres in the United States. Notably, US Elite seeks to recognize key US lawyers outside global elite firms, opting to focus on those at regional powerhouses that may be neglected by other rankings.”

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.

12Jan2025

Russell Beck and Steve Riden to Speak at MCLE Seminar on California’s Noncompete Law

January 12, 2025

Steve RIden

California, mcle, russell beck, steve riden Federal Noncompete Regulation, News, Noncompete agreements

Event Details

January 16, 2025

12-2 p.m. ET

Online

Registration is available from MCLE.

On January 16, 2025, Russell Beck and Steve Riden will be speaking at the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education’s seminar titled “Impact of California’s Law on Noncompetes Everywhere Else.“

Russell is the chair of the seminar.

The presentation is described as follows:

California has banned noncompetes since 1872. But effective January 1, 2024, California doubled down on its anti-noncompete, anti-restrictive covenant public policy.

Amending section 16600 of the California Business and Professions Code and adding sections 16600.1 and 16600.5, California expanded the scope of its anti-restrictive covenant policy and prioritized its policies over that of any other state. It also created a safe haven for employees to flee to California to avoid restrictive covenant obligations with employers in other states.

This program explores how California’s new law and expanded anti-restrictive covenant policies have impacted employers and employees in California and around the country.

A full program for the presentation is available here.

or 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.

Russell Beck is a founding partner of Beck Reed Riden LLP. He has over thirty years of experience working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters. He assisted the Obama White House as part of a small working group to develop President Obama’s Noncompete Call to Action, and authored 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.

Steve Riden is also a founding partner of Beck Reed Riden LLP. His practice is in commercial litigation, and he represents corporate and individual clients in a wide array of commercial disputes across the country, and his primary focus is litigating trade secrets related matters. He has worked on myriad actions in state and federal courts involving trade secret issues, including representing several key witnesses in a jury trial that resulted in an award of more than $2 billion in damages for trade secret misappropriation.

Beck 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.

17Nov2024

Russell Beck and Steve Riden Named Top 100 Lawyers

November 17, 2024

Steve RIden

russell beck, stephen riden, steve riden, super lawyers, top 100 News

Super Lawyers Magazine has again selected Russell Beck and Stephen Riden as two of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Massachusetts.

15Sep2024

Russell Beck, Steve Riden and Sarah Tishler to Speak at PLI Noncompete Agreement Program

September 15, 2024

Steve RIden

PLI, Practising Law Institute, russell beck, Sarah Tishler, stephen riden, steve riden Federal Noncompete Regulation, News, Noncompete agreements, Trade Secret

On Monday, September 16, 2024, Russell Beck, Steve Riden and Sarah Tishler will be speaking at Practising Law Institute’s program on noncompete agreements. Russell is the Chairperson of the event.

The program, which will be held in New York City and is also available online, is titled “Noncompetes and Restrictive Covenants 2024: What Every Lawyer, Human Resources Professional, and Key Strategic Decisionmaker Should Know.”

The program starts at 9 a.m. ET on September 16, 2024. More information and registration is available here.

Speakers will provide essential information about restrictive covenant law, including understanding the types of restrictive covenants, the interests they can protect, and the rules for their use.

Program Highlights

Coverage of the latest legislative developments regarding noncompete agreements, nondisclosure agreements, and other restrictive covenants, as well as best practices from practitioners
Discussion of protectable business interests are and how to protect them, particularly with a remote workforce and during employee departures and on-boarding
Advanced practices for seeking and defending against temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and related preliminary orders
Practical aspects of enforcing and defending against noncompetes and other restrictive covenants
Key issues and what to do when a key employee leaves, and how the strategy changes when there is a group lift-out
How to spot and avoid the ethical traps common in restrictive covenant matters

ussell will be giving the opening remarks for the program.

Sarah and Steve will be speaking on a panel titled “A Deep Dive into New State Law Requirements and Limitations.”

This panel will explore recent changes in state laws concerning noncompetes. After completing this session, participants will be able to:

Understand the latest low wage thresholds
Learn what states mandate notice requirements
Know how to implement the “Colorado summary”
Assess options for addressing California’s extraterritorial limitations
Effectively evaluate options for jurisdiction/choice of law – forum selection
Gain an understanding of how state fines function for noncompliance with noncompete requirements

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.

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.”

12Mar2024

Steve Riden and Sarah Tishler Speaking About Tortious Interference for Federal Bar Association

March 12, 2024

Steve RIden

federal bar association, Sarah Tishler, stephen riden, steve riden, tortious interference News

On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, Steve Riden and Sarah Tishler will give a presentation for the Federal Bar Association titled “Tortious Interference with Contracts and Business Relations: Proving and defending claims (2024 Edition).”

The presentation will be conducted via webinar on March 13, 2024, from 2 to 4:10 p.m. ET. Registration information and other details are available here.

According to the program summary:

Commercial relationships and contracts are both susceptible to interference by others. Former employees and competitors sometimes resort to improper tactics to gain an unfair advantage. Business litigators need to be aware of the variety of fact patterns that can support a claim for tortious interference. This versatile tort is an essential tool to address a wide range of commercial misconduct and unfair competition.

These claims are used in a variety of industries, and the presentation will address real-world application of this tort in the following areas:

Real Estate Industry: How tortious interference claims come into play in real estate transactions, including case studies and real-world examples.
Tech Sector: Examining tortious interference in the dynamic realm of technology and innovation.
Employment Disputes: Addressing the application of tortious interference claims in employment-related conflicts.

This course is co-sponsored with myLawCLE.

Key topics to be discussed:

What must plaintiffs prove to establish a tortious interference claim?
What are the potential defenses to defeat tortious interference claims?
What damages are available to prevailing plaintiffs in tortious interference cases?
How do tortious interference claims overlap with related employment, unfair competition, and defamation claims?

teve’s practice is in commercial litigation, and he represents corporate and individual clients in a wide array of commercial disputes across the country, and his primary focus is litigating trade secrets related matters. Over the past year, he has worked on myriad actions in state and federal courts involving trade secret issues, including representing several key witnesses in a jury trial that resulted in an award of more than $2 billion in damages for trade secret misappropriation.

arah is a senior counsel at Beck Reed Riden LLP. Sarah’s practice is concentrated on trade secret and restrictive covenant advising and litigation, employee mobility, and commercial litigation. Sarah has won successful outcomes for clients on both sides of these disputes in all stages of litigation, including the preliminary injunction stage, jury trials, and mediation. Sarah has also counseled clients on the identification and protection of trade secrets, and the enforceability of noncompetes and other restrictive covenants. Sarah was named by the Legal 500 as a Rising Star for 2023 in the area of Trade Secrets.

14Oct2023

Russell Beck, Steve Riden, and Bob Shea Named Top 100 Lawyers

October 14, 2023

Steve RIden

Bob Shea, robert shea, russell beck, stephen riden, steve riden, super lawyers, top 100 News

Super Lawyers Magazine has again selected Russell Beck, Stephen Riden, and Bob Shea as three of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Massachusetts.

Robert Shea advises and represents clients in all areas of labor and employment law. He devotes a significant portion of his practice to alternative dispute resolution, both as an advocate and a neutral.

15Mar2023

Steve Riden Speaking About Tortious Interference for Federal Bar Association

March 15, 2023

Steve RIden

federal bar association, stephen riden, steve riden, tortious interference News

On Thursday, March 16, 2023, Steve Riden will give a presentation for the Federal Bar Association titled “Tortious Interference With Contracts: Proving and Defending Claims.”

The presentation will be conducted via webinar on March 16, 2023, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET. Registration information and other details are available here.

According to the program summary:

This course is co-sponsored with myLawCLE.Key topics to be discussed:

What must plaintiffs prove to establish a tortious interference claim?
What are the potential defenses to defeat tortious interference claims?
What damages are available to prevailing plaintiffs in tortious interference cases?
How do tortious interference claims overlap with related employment, unfair competition, and defamation claims?

Steve was the 2020 President of the Board of Directors for the Boston College Law School Alumni Association. He is an editorial board member of the Boston Bar Journal, following serving a two-year term as its chair, and a one-year term as its co-chair. Previously, Steve was the Co-Chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Business and Commercial Litigation Section.

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