Unfair Competition

Subscribe to Unfair Competition via RSS

Yield Dynamics, Inc. v. TEA Systems Corp., 154 Cal. App. 4th 547 (2007)

Yield Dynamics, which develops and markets software products designed to facilitate the fabrication of microchips, sued its former employee, Terrence Zavecz, and two business entities of which he is a principal for breach of contract, violation of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act and related claims. After a non-jury trial, the trial…

White v. Starbucks Corp., 497 F. Supp. 2d 1080 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (Walker, J.)

Steve White, a former store manager for Starbucks, claimed the company had failed to (1) pay overtime wages in violation of Labor Code §§ 201 and 204 and Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, § 11070(12)(A); (2) provide meal and rest periods in violation of Labor Code §§ 226.7 and 512; and…

ReadyLink Healthcare v. Cotton, 126 Cal. App. 4th 1006 (2005)

ReadyLink obtained an injunction against Jerome Cotton, a former employee, prohibiting Cotton from soliciting ReadyLink employees and customers and from using or disclosing ReadyLink’s trade secrets and confidential information. ReadyLink fired Cotton for stealing ReadyLink records containing proprietary and confidential information. During a search of his residence and storage locker (to which Cotton consented),…

Leonel v. American Airlines, Inc., 400 F.3d 702 (9th Cir. 2005)

Walber Leonel and two other individuals applied for flight attendant positions with American Airlines. Plaintiffs were interviewed in Dallas and received conditional offers of employment, contingent upon their passing background checks and medical examinations. Although none of the applicants disclosed his HIV-positive status or related medications, American conducted tests on the blood samples…

Snider v. Superior Court, 113 Cal. App. 4th 1187 (2003)

Quantum Productions, Inc. sued its former sales manager, David Snider, for misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, interference with contractual relations and unfair competition after Snider resigned his employment with Quantum and formed a competing company. Quantum filed a motion to disqualify Snider’s attorney, Dale Larabee, after it learned that Larabee had contacted…

Ralphs Grocery Co. v. Superior Court, 112 Cal. App. 4th 1090 (2003)

David Swanson, a former store manager at a Ralphs grocery store, filed a class action against Ralphs for alleged violations of the California Labor Code and the Unfair Competition Law (Business and Professions Code Section 17200). Swanson alleged that Ralphs had violated the law by making unlawful deductions from its employees’ bonuses…

Herr v. Nestlé U.S.A., Inc., 109 Cal. App. 4th 779 (2003)

Richard Herr alleged age discrimination in violation of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) against his former employer, Nestlé, and obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $5,163,600. Herr also successfully asserted a claim under the Unfair Competition Law (UCL) in which he obtained equitable relief from the trial court…

Reynolds v. Bement, 107 Cal. App. 4th 738 (2003)

In this class action lawsuit brought by shop managers and assistant shop managers of Earl Scheib, Inc., the managers asserted that the officers and directors of Earl Scheib were personally liable for unpaid overtime in that they were “employers” within the meaning of Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Order No. 9. The trial court sustained…

Dodge, Warren & Peters Ins. Serv., Inc. v. Riley, 105 Cal. App. 4th 1414 (2003)

James W. Riley and several of his co-workers were terminated from Dodge, an insurance brokerage firm, after Dodge learned of their intention to obtain copies of documents maintained in Dodge’s files and computer storage media before opening their own competing insurance brokerage. Dodge filed a complaint against Riley, et…

Korea Supply Co. v. Lockheed Martin Corp., 29 Cal. 4th 1134 (2003)

Korea Supply Company (KSC) sued Lockheed Martin for violation of California‘s Unfair Competition Law (UCL) and for interference with prospective economic relations after Lockheed Martin’s predecessor, Loral Corporation, was awarded a contract to provide military equipment to the Republic of Korea. KSC alleged that the contract was awarded to Loral …