Businesses must take care to protect their confidential or proprietary information. Things like trade secrets, know-how, recipes, and other special knowledge unique to one specific business operation.  Trade secrets can be items as simple as customer or client lists, lists of vendors, costs of goods to you, or other information known only by the business and necessary for producing its product or service. It is important to protect these pieces of information when dealing with independent contractors, vendors or service providers, and also when negotiating deals or ventures with other businesses.  A non-disclosure agreement or confidentiality agreement is the best way to protect such sensitive and vulnerable information.

Employers must also seek to protect trade secrets that it discloses to its own employees. Employers should consider using a non-disclosure agreement or confidentiality clause as part of an employment agreement, handbook or other form signed by the employee. Individuals seeking to shop a product, idea or process to companies should also be required to enter into a clear and defined non disclosure agreement. Sometimes, both parties dealing with sensitive information or the exchange of proprietary technology will want non-disclosure agreements in place, and these are often referred to as mutual non-disclosure agreements or confidentially agreements.

Our office would be happy to draft a non-disclosure agreement for your business or operations, or review any such agreements you are being asked to sign to protect you from unknowingly waiving any of your rights. Just give us a call and let us know how we can help you in this regard.