On Friday, President-elect Donald Trump named Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions as his pick for the next Attorney General. Sessions is a former U.S. attorney and current senator with lengthy experience with the Justice Department. He is also known as a pro-business conservative, who on numerous occasions has expressed a favorable view of corporate indictments of executives marred in white-collar crimes.
Sessions co-sponsored the Federal Defend Trade Secrets Act, which became the law this year. The statute allows civil lawsuits to prevent or redress theft of trade secrets in addition to already-existing criminal penalties under 18 U.S.C. § 1832. His previous publicly expressed views suggest that he will not shy away from indicting big companies and individuals for white-collar crimes, which include theft of trade secrets.
For example, in 2010, during a confirmation hearing for the U.S. deputy general, Sessions questioned the candidate about the “dangerous” philosophy of not charging companies criminally because of concerns regarding the effect of such charges on employees and shareholders and stated that he “was taught that if they violate a law, you charge them.”
Trade secret theft indictments have been on the rise over the past several years, prompting an almost unanimous passage of the Federal Defend Trade Secrets Act in the beginning of this year. The uptick in criminal litigation has been accompanied by a blooming civil litigation of trade secrets theft on state and federal level as well.
Given Sessions’ prior remarks regarding his preference for corporate indictments in lieu of settlements or payment of penalties, as well as his expressed support towards protection of trade secrets, we can expect a rise in corporate indictments arising out of theft of sensitive information (especially when it is shared with foreign companies or states). This will put the spotlight on the rise of trade secrets theft in the country, will garner more publicity for such acts, and will in turn educate the US companies and business owners as to legal remedies available to them in the civil court to remedy trade secret theft.
In short, Sessions’ expected tough stance on corporate crime, including trade secrets theft and the accompanying publicity will likely result in an increase in civil litigation in that arena as well.
Leiza litigates unfair competition, non-compete and trade secrets lawsuits on behalf of companies and employees, and has advised hundreds of clients regarding non-compete and trade secret issues. If you need assistance with a non-compete or a trade secret misappropriation situation, contact Leiza for a confidential consultation at Leiza.Dolghih@lewisbrisbois.com or (214) 722-7108.