Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) 2016: Federal law providing uniform federal protection for trade secrets, allowing companies to file civil lawsuits in federal court for trade secret misappropriation
Economic Espionage Act 1996: Federal criminal law that prohibits trade secret theft and economic espionage, particularly focusing on foreign economic espionage
Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA): Model law adopted by most states that provides a legal framework for trade secret protection and enforcement at the state level
Federal Whistleblower Protection Laws: Laws protecting employees who report violations of law, including provisions that must be included in NDAs to preserve whistleblower rights
State Trade Secret Laws: State-specific variations of trade secret protection, including different definitions, enforcement mechanisms, and statutes of limitations
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA): Federal law protecting employees' rights to discuss working conditions, which may limit the scope of NDAs in employment contexts
Contract Law Principles: Fundamental legal requirements for valid contracts including consideration, reasonableness of terms, clarity of provisions, and duration specifications
Industry-Specific Regulations: Specialized regulations for different sectors including HIPAA for healthcare, financial services regulations, and government contracting requirements
Court Precedents: Recent judicial decisions affecting NDA enforcement, establishing standards for reasonable scope, duration, and geographic limitations
