Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of posts addressing how corporate victims of trade secrets theft can enforce their intellectual property rights through the criminal justice system.  The introductory post can be found here.

The criminal enforcement landscape

The federal government has intensified its focus on intellectual property theft in recent years.  For example, there is now an Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator  in the White House, and an Intellectual Property Task Force within the Department of Justice. The Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center spans some two-dozen federal agencies, and has public and stakeholder outreach as part of its mission.  The fact that more trade secrets cases are being prosecuted is a direct reflection of these efforts.  More agents and prosecutors have been made available, and the federal government has become more aggressive in going after foreign officials and state-owned entities despite the diplomatic implications.  Domestic enforcement is on the rise as well, with more high-profile criminal trade secrets cases being brought than ever before.Continue Reading Calling the Cops: Initiating a Government Investigation of Trade Secrets Theft