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LSDefine

Simple English definitions for legal terms

inevitability doctrine

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A quick definition of inevitability doctrine:

The inevitability doctrine is a legal theory that says if a key employee leaves their job and goes to work for a competitor, they will inevitably use their former employer's trade secrets. This means that the former employer can ask for an injunction to stop the employee from using those secrets to unfairly compete against them. However, most courts have rejected this doctrine because it turns a nondisclosure agreement into a noncompetition agreement. The leading case that supports this doctrine is PepsiCo, Inc. v. Redmond, where the court compared the situation to a coach whose player left with the playbook to join the opposing team before a big game.

A more thorough explanation:

The inevitability doctrine is a legal theory that applies to trade secrets. It suggests that a former employee who has access to confidential information of their previous employer cannot avoid using that knowledge to unfairly compete against the former employer once they are hired by a competitor.

For instance, if an employee of a company that produces a unique product leaves and joins a competitor, they may use the knowledge they gained from their previous employer to create a similar product. This could result in the former employer losing their competitive edge.

The plaintiff must prove that the former employee has confidential information and will not be able to avoid using that knowledge to unfairly compete against the plaintiff. However, most courts have rejected this doctrine because it turns a nondisclosure agreement into a noncompetition agreement.

One of the leading cases that upheld the inevitability doctrine is PepsiCo, Inc. v. Redmond, 54 F.3d 1262 (7th Cir. 1995). In this case, the court compared PepsiCo to a coach whose player left with the playbook to join the opposing team before the big game.

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TGM
18:23
How long can I delay sending my fall grades if they hurt my GPA? I’m still waiting on decisions and ideally I’m hoping they decide BEFORE seeing my new grades
TGM
18:27
dropped my GPA below median for a couple of schools I’m applying to, when I was above median before
Dkk
18:32
@TGM: Not long enough to get another transcript to recover.
Dkk
18:33
Honestly you could just wait until someone actually asks for your fall grades. Who knows.
Dkk
18:34
@wigwav: It looks like if below medians it will not help but If applying in November it seems you are still middle of the cycle.
18:34
@wigwav: nah
TGM
18:34
like am I expected to send it unprompted or can I wait until a school requested it
Dkk
18:35
@TGM: Expected to send it unprompted but you can wait and see.
18:36
Is your LSAT also below median?
TGM
18:37
It’s above median, but I’m applying T6 with unimpressive softs, so even with a good LSAT it’s tough
texaslawhopefully
18:38
Yeah, then I would just wait as long as you can to send it
texaslawhopefully
18:38
For like HLS at least, if you wait till J6 then you may already have a decision
TGM
18:39
@texaslawhopefully: alas, haven’t even gotten an interview (applied around thanksgiving)
18:39
Yeah I would delay as long as you have plausible deniability
TGM
18:40
I actually do have a transcript issue that registrar needs to resolve, should I say that
TGM
18:41
(Course marked as Incomplete that’s supposed to be removed)
TGM
18:41
not sure if I should email them to say that, or just hold off on sending it and not give an excuse
18:41
I think I just wouldn’t reach out and if they ask for them then say that
Dkk
18:41
@tgm Yeah sounds good, say that if they ask
18:47
hey yall
18:47
im premed idk why im here
18:48
we’re like cool and sexy and fun I get it
18:48
true i love ur user
18:49
thank you my little crow friend
Dkk
18:50
Med law easy done
medicine is a scam
join the ethically ambiguous legal field instead
Dkk
18:57
I want to meet an attorney that defends clients who run into flat earth problems. I want an attorney that knows and believes in flat earth theory.
19:05
i want a flat earther for president. i want a guy who posts on 4chan for president. i want someone who mogs for president.
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