The Dirty Dozen

(Miller Jentz , 2008 . To safeguard the interest of the principal , in the 2001 case of Lamorte Burns Co . v . Walters , the court decided to define trade secrets based on the relationship between the principal and the agent as well as the purpose of obtaining and disclosing the information (Stokes Peeples 193

The principal has to prove that the information which was obtained was used for against his interest . The agent is restricted from collecting and using customers ' business cards . These are viewed as the property of the principal . In instances where

the agent collected them in the course of his duty to the principal he is prohibited from using them . The customer names which he can remember from memory are however not protected and can be used as long as the agent is not working for the agency . To safeguard these trade secrets the court may also bar the agent from working in the same industry as the principal for a number of years . This prevents unintentional disclosure of trade secrets of the principal

Theft of Information

The use of an agencys ' information is also prohibited . In 1997 , in DoubleClick Inc . v . Henderson , the court ruled that even though the information used was not trade secrets , it was still sensitive information and it was used by former agents to compete with Double Click Inc (Stokes Peeples , 193 .Any ideas which the agent comes up with during the time of employment belong to the principal and cannot be use by the agent (Miller Jentz , 2008

Disclosure of Confidential Information

Common law prohibits the agents from releasing confidential information in any principal agent relationship (Stokes Peeples , 195 . Any information regarding the principal and their customers should not be disclosed under any circumstances . Agents who disclose any confidential information acquired while in employment...