I suppose it is not to surprising to learn that web site contents and domain names accessible to the public are not protectible as trade secrets.  Paramanandam v. Herrmann, (Fed. Cir., May 24, 2005). 

Reversing the trial court, the Federal Circuit states:

"By definition, information is a trade secret only if it is the subject of reasonable efforts to maintain its secrecy."

Posting stuff on the Internet doesn't meet that test.

Mere application is not sufficient for copyright subject matter jurisdiction, say the District Court of Maryland in Mays v. Associates, Inc. v. Euler (D. Md, May 17, 05).

The court also rejects Lanham Act claim for improper attribution of credit for creative work.  Following Dastar, the Lanham Act only applies to claims involving the producer of the goods, not the author of the creative work embodied in the goods.

This past weekend I took a call from a young lawyer from Scotland, living in Houston, seeking a career in non-tech IP.  We discussed the benefits of getting involved in professional organizations to build credentials and relationships.

Today I came across this post by Jason Womack, a presenter with The David Allen Company, that's filled with ideas for improving our careers, especially for those of us who like to speak and teach, and want to be better at it.

How did you learn to present?

A recent Illinois trade secret decision highlights the security measures companies should take to preserve proprietary rights in customer lists.  Liebert Corp v. Mazur, 2005 WL 762954 (Ill. 1st Dist., April 5, 2005):

1.  Limit computer access on a need-to-know basis.

2.  Restrict access to physical copies.

3.  Prevent employees from taking copies when they leave the company.

4.  Require employees to sign confidentiality agreements.

5.  Advise employees that lists are confidential.

6.  Label the lists as confidential.

After the Supreme Court vacated and remanded its prior decision, the Ninth Circuit again reversed the lower court's grant of summary judgment in KP Permanent Make-Up, Inc. v. Lasting Impressions I, Inc. on May 19, 2005.

The Ninth Circuit decision is available here.