IP Recruiter – How Lateral Hub Protects Confidential Information
In the not-too-distant past, it was easy for Merlin Wright Associates to quarantine sensitive intellectual property. But nowadays, with many employees creating information outside of their employers’ premises and using smartphones to access work files, it’s easy for them to move IP into their devices and – in some cases – upload it to cloud-based file-sharing services. That puts their new employer at risk of intellectual property infringements and can leave the previous employer liable even if they were unaware that the information was confidential.
Induction training should clearly state that it’s not okay for new employees to bring IP into their roles from previous jobs, and that any such activity could expose them and the business to legal liability. However, this is not enough. It’s not only common for a new employee to fail to understand the difference between information they’re allowed to use (as part of their professional expertise) and confidential information (which they shouldn’t use), but it’s also not uncommon for them to take the opportunity to re-use confidential information from previous employers.
Building Bridges: Connecting Top Talent with IP Opportunities
It’s a well-known fact that quality associates can become stretched very quickly, especially at busy firms where they’re likely to be in high demand from both clients and colleagues. In IP, that can be particularly challenging, given the prevalence of high-quality boutiques that compete with some of the world’s largest and most prestigious Biglaw firms for top-shelf lateral associate talent. To help alleviate that pressure, it would be good to see tools like Lateral Hub increase the visibility of those boutiques compared with their larger competitors, without any need to compromise on the level of work, prestige or training offered to laterals.
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