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Overview

Trade Secret Attorneys Serving Clients in Ohio, the United States and Internationally

Whether secret formulas/recipes, algorithms, manufacturing techniques, or valuable business information (e.g., customer lists), Calfee’s Trade Secret practice is adept at recognizing and documenting trade secrets, which can be critical for establishing prior user rights and seeking relief for misappropriation.

Calfee’s trade secret attorneys have experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in trade secret disputes across diverse industries, handling cases under both state and federal law. Our team regularly assists clients with a broad spectrum of trade secret-related matters, providing strategic guidance and tailored solutions to protect their proprietary information.

Services Our Trade Secret Lawyers Provide:

Complementing our robust Patent practice, Calfee’s Trade Secret lawyers excel in identifying, protecting, and documenting trade secrets. We partner with clients to safeguard their most valuable proprietary information by:

  • Identifying and Documenting Trade Secrets: Ensuring proper recognition and protection of proprietary information.
  • Litigation Support: Representing both plaintiffs and defendants in trade secret disputes under state and federal law.
  • Collaboration with Law Enforcement: Assisting in trade secret theft investigations by coordinating with law enforcement officials.
  • Workplace Culture Development: Establishing standards and controls to foster a culture of trade secret protection.
  • Periodic Trade Secret Audits: Partnering with clients to perform regular audits, ensuring trade secret portfolios evolve alongside proprietary technology.
  • Drafting and Reviewing Agreements: Creating and reviewing contracts involving the sharing of trade secrets with third parties.
  • Leveraging Proprietary Technology: Advising on how to use trade secrets to strengthen brand value and company valuation.

Noteworthy

Chambers USA Leading Law Firm Rankings

Since 2004, Calfee has been recognized as a Leading Law Firm for Intellectual Property by Chambers USA, most recently in Band 1 in Ohio (2025).

Clients provided feedback to Chambers USA researchers, "Calfee is esteemed for its handling of IP litigation and portfolio management on behalf of large clients in Ohio and the Midwest and across the USA. The IP team is highly experienced in the engineering, chemical, and biological sectors, with notable abilities in handling matters for consumer products and manufacturing clients. The team is responsive, practical, and extremely knowledgeable."

Clients interviewed by Chambers USA said, "The firm offers excellent value for its services. The team is dedicated and provides sophisticated IP legal services at an attractive cost. Calfee's IP attorneys are highly regarded; they are true experts, and they do excellent work for their clients. This is a power bench; the team works well together and supports each other well. Each individual is responsive and knowledgeable in their expertise and experience. This is definitely one of my favorite firms to work with."

Chambers USA researchers also found Calfee's IP team to be held in "very high regard by fellow practitioners who note Calfee's extensive experience representing clients in wider patent and trademark matters, IP litigation matters, appellate work, and advising companies on managing IP assets in China."

Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” Rankings

Calfee was selected for inclusion in the 2026 "Best Law Firms" rankings in the following areas:

  • Litigation – Intellectual Property (National Tier 3, Regional Tier 1 Cleveland, Regional Tier 1 Cincinnati)
  • Patent Law (Regional Tier 1 Cleveland, Regional Tier 2 Cincinnati)
  • Chambers USA 2025 A Firm Badge

Professionals

Experience

Experience

  • Work with a small team of in-house patent/IP counsel and manage a larger team of external Calfee attorneys to draft and prosecute a publicly traded, Fortune 500 company client's patent applications and provide legal opinions and consultation on patent portfolio growth. Together, Calfee and the client’s in-house IP counsel handle the implementation of the client’s IP protection objectives for the company’s four divisions. This work includes interfacing with Research & Development and business leaders concentrated in Europe, including Great Britain, France, and Finland. Calfee oversees the drafting and prosecution of hundreds of patent applications throughout the world on behalf of this client, as well as counseling the client on critical IP-related issues such as freedom-to-practice, trade secret strategies, and innovation harvesting. (2024)
  • Serve as Chief Outside Intellectual Property Counsel for a publicly traded, Fortune 500, multibillion-dollar, multinational holding company with multiple operating companies based in the U.S. and abroad. Calfee is responsible for patent annuity payments on all patent matters and assists many of the operating companies with the prosecution of patent applications, both in the U.S. and abroad. Calfee manages the U.S. trademark and patent work directly and supervises a network of foreign associates when action is required in foreign jurisdictions. Calfee regularly assists the client with enforcement matters involving any aspect of IP, including representing the operating companies in infringement litigation brought by or against them. Calfee also offers primary counsel on the impact of corporate reorganization efforts on the ownership and management of the operating companies’ IP. Calfee IP lawyers also supervise most of the intellectual property due diligence related to the mergers and acquisition activity of the client. Calfee represents the company in several trade secret matters. (2024)
  • Manage the patent portfolio encompassing dozens of granted patents and pending applications, including jointly developed technology, for this client, a global innovator and manufacturer of temperature sensors, controls, and measurement instrumentation and transport systems. Specifically, Calfee drafts and prosecutes the company’s patent applications and recently assisted the client in filing several patent applications on its new commercial system in the U.S. and Taiwan, while also reserving the right to file future patent applications in other countries by taking advantage of the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Calfee regularly meets with the client to discuss patent and trade secret strategy with respect to new innovations across the company’s earth-based and space-based applications. (2024)

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    "Calfee's IP group is esteemed for its handling of IP litigation and portfolio management on behalf of large clients in Ohio, the Midwest, and across the USA. They are highly experienced in the engineering, chemical, and biological sectors, with notable abilities in handling matters for consumer products and manufacturing clients."

    Client quote, Chambers USA 

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