Trust Our Experience. Protect Your Position. 

  1. Home
  2.  » 
  3. Firm News
  4.  » Competitors and employees may be threats to intellectual property

Competitors and employees may be threats to intellectual property

Texas business owners usually know that unscrupulous individuals will do what they can in hopes of causing a company to fail. In some cases, that may include stealing and using a company’s intellectual property in hopes of damaging the original business’s success or in hopes of becoming more competitive themselves. If this happens, the owners of that IP may have reason to take legal action.

Of course, in order to work to protect IP, business owners need to know who might try to obtain it. The most obvious answer is competitors, and they certainly are a threat. A competing company may try to obtain IP in hopes of moving its business along in research and development or in hopes of obtaining client information.

Another possible threat is employees. Workers may attempt to obtain intellectual property in order to sell it to competitors or other interested parties. In many cases, it may not be difficult for employees to obtain the information as they may come in contact with it during the course of their daily tasks. Utilizing contracts like nondisclosure agreements may help lessen the chance of stolen IP.

Unfortunately, all businesses cannot protect all of their intellectual property. However, Texas company owners do not have to sit back and let competitors or other parties use their IP without consequence. Filing a lawsuit against the other individuals or entities may allow business owners to seek justice and compensation for damages that may have resulted. Information on this particular area of business litigation may help them learn more about their legal options.