Schiff Secures Unanimous Jury Verdict in Trade Secrets Trial

Schiff Hardin successfully secured a clean sweep unanimous jury defense verdict for our client, Action Gypsum Supply, a drywall and construction materials supply company, and two individual defendants, in an unfair competition and breach of fiduciary duty case brought by competitor L&W Supply Corporation.

Schiff Hardin successfully secured a clean-sweep unanimous jury defense verdict for our client, Action Gypsum Supply, a drywall and construction materials supply company, and two individual defendants, in an unfair competition and breach of fiduciary duty case brought by competitor L&W Supply Corporation.

Our team was engaged in December 2019, just six weeks before the trial date. The trial continued for two weeks, after which the jury returned a unanimous verdict for our client on all of plaintiff’s claims after less than an hour’s deliberations.

“A key issue in the case was explaining to the jury the distinction between an employee’s right to prepare to enter into competition with his employer and actually engaging in competition,” said Matt Prewitt, leader of Schiff’s Trade Secrets Practice Group.

The plaintiff had sought an award of actual damages in excess of $3.6 million, plus unspecified punitive damages.

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