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As inventive steps become smaller, trade secret protections grow in importance

By Melissa Ritti ( May 20, 2025, 23:07 GMT | Insight) -- The widely held belief that patenting confers protection superior to trade secrets still holds true in many situations, especially when an idea can be reverse engineered with ease. But nine years after Congress passed the Defend Trade Secrets Act, federal causes of action for misappropriation are on the rise — showing that the choice, for many, is murky at best. Panelists at the International Trademark Association today suggested companies of all sizes take stock of their workforce, its value system and the likelihood that coveted, business-critical information can truly be kept secret over the long haul.The International Trademark Association marked a major milestone today with its official foray into patents. While it remains undecided whether INTA will extend its lobbying efforts to matters involving patents, the formation of a patents committee is underway....

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