Alston & Bird Protects Manufacturer’s Trade Secrets

Alston and Bird’s ITC team scored a major victory for our client Richtek in late July.  Richtek is the leading manufacturer of integrated circuits known as DC-DC controllers, which regulate power to the various circuits found in high-tech devices.  Several years ago, a number of Richtek employees defected and set-up a rival manufacturer—uPI Semiconductors—allegedly stealing Richtek's trade secrets and patented technology in the process.  Our team was proceeding toward a trial on Richtek's behalf, but on the day before the trial was to start, uPI unilaterally filed for a consent order with the ITC, voluntarily agreeing to leave the U.S. market for 10 years.  The Commission approved the consent order, which has the same effect as a court injunction.   The team was led by Yitai Hu, Paul Brinkman, Steve Hemminger, Kevin Trock and Mike Kim.

 

“Richtek is extremely pleased with the result and is fully confident that had we proceeded to trial we would have gotten the same result,” said Hu.