Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%
Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.
How UK Franchisors Protect Their Trade Secrets
As in the United States, franchisors in the United Kingdom usually invest in protecting their brand by way of trademark registrations, usually a Community Trade Mark (CTM). However, although they spend a considerable amount of time, money, and resources developing their customer databases and refining their business methodologies and know-how (and detailing this in the franchise Operations Manual, to which their franchisees and employees are given access), U.S. franchisors rarely seem to devote the same resources to protecting these trade secrets in the United Kingdom.
Trade secrets are extremely vulnerable. Franchisees, master franchisors, developers, subfranchisors, and their employees in the United Kingdom all enjoy a full working knowledge of the franchisor's trade secrets. They are all, therefore, in an excellent position to compete for the franchisor's market share. Sometimes even prospective franchisees acquire a good deal of valuable information. If any such persons leave the franchisor's network, unless the franchisor's trade secrets are adequately protected, they can become its strongest competitor. Indeed, there are many examples of franchises that have been established by former franchisees of a rival brand.
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later
The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.
Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations
This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.
The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs
The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.
How AI Has Affected PR
When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.