Customer Lists as Trade Secrets? Not A Per Se Rule

The Association of Corporate Counsel's website is an excellent resource for in-house and other attorneys. Today, they posted a question and answer exchange with a respected attorney from the Dorsey & Whitney firm - Roy Ginsburg.

We think Mr. Ginsburg has his analysis exactly right - there are generally not per se rulings that establish a customer list is, or is not, a trade secret under applicable state law. What we routinely say about these and other data compilations is that they may, under the right circumstances, constitute trade secrets.