Nondisclosure agreement

The life of a trade secret may extend indefinitely if the owner of the secret has taken the proper steps to safeguard the iavention, in contrast to a 17-yr patent term, after which time the iavention is in the pubHc domain. TraditionaHy, trade secrets have been protected by confidentiaHty agreements, nondisclosure agreements, and employment agreements. 

For a molder to control secrecy concerning proprietary information, the first approach is to keep it as a personal secret. If people have to be exposed to it, such as present or new employees, visitors, and customers since there exists a need to know, those people should sign a nondisclosure agreement. This agreement could set up problems since a person could already be familiar with the so-called secret. 

I. A one-way nondisclosure agreement (CDA) has to be signed by board members, management, employees, and external consultants. The individuals are bound to the CDA also in the case, that they leave the company (see also item 7, below). 

Finally, as you leave your current job, no matter how disappointed, angry, or frustrated, don t take anything that doesn t belong to you, such as office supplies, computer equipment, confidential files, or your company s client list. If you ve signed a noncompetition or nondisclosure agreement with your current employer, have a lawyer review this document to ensure you won t get into trouble for accepting whatever new job is being offered. 

To what degree have UC faculty, students, and staff signed nondisclosure agreements ... 

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