Publications/Talks

Blog Post:  “Understanding Trade Secrets, Part I — What Trade Secrets Are and What To Do To Protect Them” by Jeffrey M. Judd

Blog Post:  “Employee Rights and Obligations Regarding Trade Secrets” by Jeffrey M. Judd

Blog Post:  “Ask These Five Questions Before Hiring Key Employees” by Jeffrey M. Judd

Blog Post:  “Ninth Circuit to Employers, Investors, and Entrepreneurs:  “Create and Enforce Computer-Use Policies to Deter Theft of Valuable Trade Secrets and Proprietary Information”” by Jeffrey M. Judd, Judd Law Blog (June 9, 2011)

Companies that derive significant value from trade secrets and proprietary information should ensure that they have minimally robust trade secret protection programs in place. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently identified a handful of simple, relatively inexpensive measures that companies should deploy to discourage employees and former employees from taking and using a company’s trade secrets by subjecting former employees to criminal liability for misappropriation and unauthorized use of company resources.  Elements of a best practices trade secrets protection program are also summarized.

Blog Post: “Supreme Court Enforces Class Action Waiver; California law invalid,” by Jeffrey M. Judd, Judd Law Blog (May 3, 2011)

In what is viewed as a stunning and surprising upset to plaintiffs’ class-action lawyers, the U.S. Supreme Court recently held that class-action waivers in arbitration provisions are not per se unconscionable – as the California Supreme Court had previously held – but rather make sense in the context of arbitration and will generally be enforced. Jeffrey M. Judd, a veteran class-action litigator and member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, comments on how the AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, et ux. and Stolt-Nielsen S.A. et al. v. AnimalFeeds Int’l Corp. cases can be used to help reduce your company’s exposure to litigation.

Publication:  “Greenhouse Gas Guidelines,” by Jeffrey M. Judd, The Recorder (ALM Publications, October 28, 2009)

In this article, published in The Recorder, Mr. Judd discussed the status of regulatory efforts to require greenhouse gas emissions impacts analysis in environmental impact reports prepared under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This article may be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/2bcfmr7.

Publication:  “The Meteorology Of Environmental Impact Review,” by Jeffrey M. Judd, Law360 (Portfolio Media, Inc., September 18, 2009).

In this article, published by the prominent online publication, Law360, Mr. Judd summarized current state and federal statutes and regulations regarding greenhouse gas emissions analysis for environmental impact statements prepared under various state and federal laws. This article may be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/2avlslf.

Publication:  “Wal-Mart Case Highlights Importance of Tackling Emissions Issues Early,” by Jeffrey M. Judd, Daily Journal (August 13, 2009).

In this article, published by the San Francisco Daily Journal and the LA Daily Journal, Mr. Judd discussed a recent California case that illustrates how projects may be derailed by the failure to adequately analyze greenhouse gas emissions impacts in environmental impact reports prepared under CEQA .  This article may be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/2bvryl3. (Reprinted and/or posted with the permission of Daily Journal Corp. (2010).)

Webinar:  “Climate Change and Environmental Impact Statements” (Strafford Publications, Inc., October 18, 2009).

In this Webinar, Mr. Judd discussed current state and federal requirements for analysis of greenhouse gas emissions under various state and federal environmental quality acts. The outline that Mr. Judd prepared for this presentation may be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/2gywlss.

Webinar:  “Vapor Intrusion: Liabilities and Litigation Trends” (Strafford Publications Inc., April 23, 2009).

In this Webinar, Mr. Judd discussed plaintiffs’ attempts to sue for harms allegedly caused by toxic chemical fume invasion into building interiors, and the ways property owners and business operators have, for the most part, successfully defended against these actions.  The outline that Mr. Judd prepared in connection with this discussion may be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/23u7llc.  Listen to Mr. Judd’s presentation at:  http://tinyurl.com/25sb2e2.

Webinar:  “The Growing Importance of MetaData Preservation in e-Discovery” (Guidance Software Inc., Webinar, March 9, 2009).

In this Webinar, sponsored by e-discovery software developer and service-provider Guidance Software, Inc., Mr. Judd reviewed recent discovery case law in which courts addressed legal issues pertaining to the preservation, collection, and production of metadata.  View the outline Mr. Judd prepared ( in collaboration with Albert Barsocchini, of Guidance Software, Inc.) at: http://tinyurl.com/24m2cz4.  (Posted with the permission of Guidance Software Inc. (2010).)

Panelist:  “Cost Savings in e-Discovery” (Huron Consulting Group E-Discovery Briefings, San Francisco, CA, June 2009).

Mr. Judd discussed recently enacted Federal Rule of Evidence, Rule 502, and the impact that rule might have on e-discovery costs and practices.

Panelist:  “Money-Saving Solutions for e-Discovery” (Huron Consulting Group E-Discovery Briefings, Palo Alto, CA, October 2008).

Presentation:  “Digital Forensics and Forensic Analysis” (International Quality and Productivity Center, Las Vegas, NV, May 2008).

Presentation:  “De-Fanging The Litigation Sound Byte: Tips To Minimize Litigation Risk Caused By Electronic Communications” (O’Melveny & Myers LLP, San Francisco and Menlo Park, CA, March 2008 (presented with Jessica Hoogs)).

In this presentation, Mr. Judd discussed the uses that plaintiffs made of hastily written email communications in various high-profiles lawsuits, and presented specific suggestions to incorporate into daily business practice to reduce the risk such communications pose. The Power Point presentation may be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/2ejxxaj.

Panelist:  “Spoliation and Sanctions” (BNA’s e-Discovery “Hot Issues” Conference, Washington, DC, October 2007).

Speech:  “Howard, et al. v. Ford Motor Company in Light of Amendments to California’s Unfair Competition Law” (ABA Automobile Section, Irvine, CA, March 2005 (presented with Jeffrey Fazio, Esq.)).

Panelist:  “California Civil Motion Practice” (Practicing Law Institute, San Francisco, CA, March 2005 (presented with Claude Stern and Sarah Flannigan)).

Presentation:  “Boundary Law Litigation” (National Business Institute, San Francisco, CA, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005).

In this paper, published in 2005, Mr. Judd summarized the case law pertaining to, and practical suggestions for resolving boundary disputes involving real property and riparian lands. View the paper at: http://tinyurl.com/28edzgp.

Presentation:  “e-Discovery and the Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure” (Kroll Ontrack, Las Vegas, September 2004).

Presentation:  “Real Property Litigation” (National Business Institute, San Francisco, CA, 2002).

Panelist:  “False Claims Act” (Construction Superconference, San Francisco, CA, 2000).

Presentation:  “Environmental Law for Real Property Practitioners” (National Business Institute, San Francisco, CA, 2000).

Testimony:  Hearing on Proposed e-Discovery Rules, Advisory Committee on Civil Rules, Federal Judicial Council, February 2005.

Email Judd Law Group