Amid a cycle of mass layoffs in Silicon Valley’s tech sector, Anjali Srinivasan highlights the importance of robust trade secret protection in an article published by IAM.
Alongside other legal professionals, she advises companies to safeguard proprietary information through proactive measures such as securing company devices, conducting comprehensive exit interviews, and clearly outlining confidentiality obligations to employees. “Creating systems to ensure departing employees’ access to corporate networks is terminated correctly is challenging, but critical,” Srinivasan explains.
When asked about the impact of mass layoffs on legal proceedings, Srinivasan acknowledges that juries may be drawn to stories of former employees allegedly misappropriating trade secrets for their new jobs. However, she stresses that the company’s actions are what matter in court. “The only narrative within the company’s control is whether it took steps to prevent access, lock down information, and make clear to departed employees that they are to return proprietary information and not use it going forward,” Srinivasan emphasizes.
The full story is published on IAM. Subscription required.