RotaDyne secures victory in long-running trade secret and non-compete matter

Client(s) Robins Group, The

Jones Day secured a victory for our client RotaDyne, a portfolio company of client The Robins Group, in a long-running trade secrets and non-compete matter filed against a former employee and his new employer. Former employee Matt Haas left to work for competitor FKM and took RotaDyne's confidential and proprietary information on USB drives before he left RotaDyne.

In a hard-fought litigation, the Firm defeated a motion to dismiss, successfully overcame a challenge to add the parent company as a defendant, and prevailed in multiple discovery battles and motions to compel. As a result, the Firm was able to recover key documents not previously produced and information on the USB drives revealing wrongdoing. Both Mr. Haas and his new employer, FKM, immediately changed course. Ultimately, FKM agreed to fire Haas, agreed to withdraw and stay out of the silicone roller business for 4 years and the optical grade business for 10 years, turned over the equipment used to manufacture the competing products, and paid RotaDyne $750,000 in damages. Haas personally agreed to pay $500 in damages to RotaDyne each month for five years.

Rotation Dynamics Corp. v. Haas, No. 16-cv-01737 (N.D. Ill.)