Vedder Price Prevails in Trade Secrets and Breach of Fiduciary Duty Case
Vedder Price obtained significant, unprecedented relief on behalf of its client, APC Filtration, Inc., in a breach of fiduciary duty and trade secrets misappropriation case.
Vedder Price had previously obtained summary judgment on behalf of APC against its former national sales manager, William Becker, based on his breaches of fiduciary duty and misappropriation of APC’s trade secrets. As part of its summary judgment order, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Hon. Robert M. Dow presiding, issued a permanent injunction in April 2009 enjoining defendants from doing business with or soliciting APC’s former, current and prospective customers for an extended period of time.
Upon recently learning that defendant Becker and his company, SOP Green Klean, had been doing business with at least one of APC’s customers, Vedder Price litigators Jeanah Park and Chad A. Schiefelbein filed a motion for rule to show cause as to why the defendants should not be held in contempt of court for violating the permanent injunction. The District Court granted APC’s request for expedited discovery and following briefing on the matter, granted the motion and found defendants in civil contempt of court. As part of APC’s relief, the District Court awarded sanctions in the form of attorneys’ fees and costs, a nine-month extension of the permanent injunction, disgorgement of SOP Green Klean’s profits and court-ordered monitoring of the defendants’ activities, to ensure future compliance with the permanent injunction.
Vedder Thinking | News Vedder Price Prevails in Trade Secrets and Breach of Fiduciary Duty Case
Press Release
November 2010
Vedder Price obtained significant, unprecedented relief on behalf of its client, APC Filtration, Inc., in a breach of fiduciary duty and trade secrets misappropriation case.
Vedder Price had previously obtained summary judgment on behalf of APC against its former national sales manager, William Becker, based on his breaches of fiduciary duty and misappropriation of APC’s trade secrets. As part of its summary judgment order, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Hon. Robert M. Dow presiding, issued a permanent injunction in April 2009 enjoining defendants from doing business with or soliciting APC’s former, current and prospective customers for an extended period of time.
Upon recently learning that defendant Becker and his company, SOP Green Klean, had been doing business with at least one of APC’s customers, Vedder Price litigators Jeanah Park and Chad A. Schiefelbein filed a motion for rule to show cause as to why the defendants should not be held in contempt of court for violating the permanent injunction. The District Court granted APC’s request for expedited discovery and following briefing on the matter, granted the motion and found defendants in civil contempt of court. As part of APC’s relief, the District Court awarded sanctions in the form of attorneys’ fees and costs, a nine-month extension of the permanent injunction, disgorgement of SOP Green Klean’s profits and court-ordered monitoring of the defendants’ activities, to ensure future compliance with the permanent injunction.
