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Clear Channel Sues Tribune Co. and Former Executive for Trade Secret Theft

As readers of this blog know, we're reporting more and more on competitively-sensitive hires that result in certain and immediate litigation alleging trade secret misappropriation and tortious interference with employment contracts.

This is a substantial case of that type - Clear Channel accuses Chicago-based Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune and other media properties, of stealing trade secrets when in May it hired one of the radio giant's vice presidents involved in its online business.Clear Channel seeks to stop Tribune from employing the executive, Andrew Friedman, in an Internet-related job until at least the end of the year, when his employment contract with the radio company was set to expire. The company also seeks to restrain Tribune from inducing any other Clear Channel employees to break an employment contract. Friedman also is named as a defendant in the suit, filed Monday.

Tribune spokesman Gary Weitman described the suit as worthless. "We're finding that there are a lot of people who want to come work for the new Tribune, and we're going to hire the best of them, we're going to do it lawfully and we're not going to be intimidated by frivolous lawsuits," he said.

We'll keep an eye on this one for you. We decided to post the Chicago Tribune's version of this story as an opener for you.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

WELL, HERE'S A FIRST POST-SCRIPT - CLEAR CHANNEL OBTAINED AN INJUNCTION AGAINST THE EMPLOYEE FROM STARTING WORK . . .
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29582

Full post as published by Womble Trade Secrets Blog on May 28, 2008 (boomark / email).