Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA): Federal law enacted in 2016 that provides uniform federal protection for trade secrets and allows companies to file civil lawsuits in federal court for trade secret misappropriation
Economic Espionage Act: Federal law from 1996 that criminalizes the theft of trade secrets for the benefit of foreign entities or economic benefit of others
Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA): Model law adopted by most states that provides framework for trade secret protection at state level, including definitions, remedies, and statute of limitations
State Contract Laws: State-specific laws governing contract formation, consideration, enforceability, and remedies that affect how NDAs are interpreted and enforced
State Employment Laws: State-specific regulations regarding non-compete agreements, whistleblower protections, and employee mobility rights
Copyright Act: Federal law protecting original works of authorship, which may be relevant when NDAs cover copyrighted materials
Patent Act: Federal law governing patent rights and protection, relevant when NDAs involve patented or potentially patentable information
Lanham Act: Federal trademark law that may be relevant when NDAs cover trademark-related information or brand secrets
Securities Laws: Federal regulations governing publicly traded companies and material non-public information, including SEC requirements
Antitrust Laws: Federal laws (Sherman Act, Clayton Act, FTC Act) preventing anti-competitive practices that may affect non-circumvention provisions
Statute of Limitations: State-specific time limits for bringing legal action on breach of NDA/NCND agreements
Industry Regulations: Sector-specific regulations such as HIPAA for healthcare, financial services regulations, and government contracting requirements
International Trade Laws: Regulations governing international trade, foreign corrupt practices, and international intellectual property protection that may affect cross-border NDAs
