Know-how protection
A company lives on its know-how. Trade and business secrets are part of this. Efficient protection of know-how requires a comprehensive concept taking account of various legal and practical aspects. Any change of employment involves the risk of know-how being removed.
We reduce this risk by including non-competition and non-disclosure agreements on pain of penalty into the arrangements concluded with employees, managing directors and members of the Board and – last but not least – into the agreements concluded with sub-contractors, suppliers and service providers. Existing agreements also need to be adjusted.
Finally, it is necessary to review IT and building safety precautions. Should someone attempt to obtain unauthorized access to a secret, any use by third parties needs to be prevented promptly by a preliminary injunction, using police support where necessary.
We work as a team of specialist lawyers in different areas of practice and advise small and medium-scale companies as well as major companies on the development of know-how protection concepts and the enforcement of, and defence against claims based on the unauthorized use of trade and business secrets. In this context, we cooperate with IT and safety technology experts. Together with patent lawyers, we provide legal advice – also to prepare for the question whether or not know-how can also be protected by technical industrial property rights where possible and expedient.
