Opinion ID: 3151616
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: OUTSA Trade Secret Protection

Text: The protection of trade secrets largely was a common law concept until the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“UTSA”) was promulgated by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, and recommended for adoption in all states. Ohio adopted the UTSA in 1994 with only minor changes.1 The OUTSA expressly provides that it “shall be applied and construed to . . . make uniform the law with respect to their subject among states enacting them.” Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 1333.68. The OUTSA provides that “trade secrets” include “scientific or technical information, design, process, procedure, formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, or improvement” provided the secret has “independent economic value, actual or potential,” derived from the fact that it is not known or easily discoverable by others. Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 1333.61(D). Third party discovery through “proper means,” including through observation of the item or acquiring and reverse engineering a product, destroys a trade secret. UTSA § 1 cmt. However, “Acquisition of a trade secret of another by a person who knows or has reason to know that the trade secret was acquired by improper means” is defined as a “misappropriation” of the trade secret. Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 1333.61(B)(1). Improper means “includes theft, bribery, misrepresentation, breach or inducement of a breach of a duty to maintain secrecy, or espionage through electronic or other means.” Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 1333.61(A). 1 For example, Ohio adopted a four-year statute of limitations, while the model act provides for a three-year limitations period. Compare Ohio Rev. Code § 1333.66 with Uniform Trade Secrets Act § 6. No. 14-3563 Allied Erecting, et al. v. Genesis Attachments, et al. Page 4