In a major victory, biotech startup Trilobio, Inc., known for its innovations in laboratory automation, won an injunction against former employee Keoni Gandall and his company, Nanala LLC, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Ellen Leonida, criminal defense attorney at Sideman & Bancroft, who represented Trilobio along with civil and probate litigator Ronald Fisher, commented on the case in an article published by Law360 titled “Biotech Co. Wins Injunction Against Ex-Worker in Secrets Suit.” She noted, “Many startup founders do not realize how robust the trade secret and unfair competition laws are. As a result, ethical emerging companies are under-protecting their most valuable asset — their intellectual property — while less scrupulous competitors are happy to steal trade secrets and compete unfairly.”
This case highlights the importance of trade secret protections for growing companies in the biotech industry. Ellen Leonida and Ronald Fisher, both highly experienced trial attorneys in San Francisco, successfully proved that Gandall’s actions violated not only his confidentiality agreement with Trilobio but also trade secret and unfair competition laws.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, presided over by Judge Jon S. Tigar, ruled in favor of Trilobio, granting the temporary restraining order and prohibiting Gandall and his company, Nanala LLC, from using or disclosing Trilobio’s confidential information.
This victory underscores Sideman & Bancroft’s commitment to protecting our clients’ intellectual property. If you have concerns about protecting your company’s trade secrets, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Ellen Leonida or Ronald Fisher for expert legal guidance.
