Strategic Collaborations: Managing Trade Secret Risk Across the Lifecycle of a Deal

Strategic collaborations are increasingly central to innovation, particularly in life sciences and technology, where companies rely on partnerships for research, development, and manufacturing. This session explores the trade secret considerations that arise across the full lifecycle of a collaboration, from early discussions and deal negotiation to active partnerships and potential disputes.

• Trade secret strategy during early deal exploration and negotiating terms that protect the ownership of know-how, confidentiality obligations, and information access.
• Offensive and defensive considerations when collaborations lead to litigation or misappropriation claims.
• Managing trade secrets during active collaborations such as joint R&D, licensing, or manufacturing partnerships.
• Trade secret risks when collaborations fail, including “busted deals,” employee mobility, and disputes over the use of shared know-how.