Intellectual Property Law

The Sacramento Business Journal reported last week that Allen Cotten, a former employee of Genesis Microwave, Inc., “admitted to stealing trade secrets from Genesis Microwave and offering them for sale to foreign governments.” Notice the emphasis on employee. Regular readers of this website will understand the significance of that fact.

According to the article, “Cotten worked for Genesis Microwave, Inc., in El Dorado Hills, and admitted that beginning in February 2004 he began to steal plans, designs, parts and specifications for components known as logarithmic video amplifiers. The technology has military applications for radar jamming, guidance, countermeasures and locating enemy signals during combat.”

This happens far too frequently–get your trade secrets protection plans in order and make sure they are followed. Your employees are not your friends.

Kudos to the FBI for doing the legwork that resulted in the confession.