Carolyn Luedtke Discusses Surge in Trade Secrets Disputes 

Munger, Tolles & Olson Partner Carolyn Hoecker Luedtke was interviewed for a Managing IP article titled, “‘Proactive counselling increasingly important’: firms on trade secret spike.” In the article, Carolyn discussed the rise in trade secret litigation as documented by a recent Lex Machina study  showing a record number of trade secret cases in 2025. Carolyn discussed the potential drivers of that increase, which includes more litigation within the AI industry and increased employee mobility. Carolyn shared that if she were placing a bet, she would guess that trade secret litigation will continue to rise as these trends continue to unfold. 

Carolyn also highlighted the increase in federal criminal trade secret enforcement, especially when China is involved. She explained that this shift began under the previous administration and has continued under the current administration, with a focus on preventing the exfiltration of sensitive information abroad. “There are limits, at times, to what civil plaintiffs can do internationally, whereas the US government has a broader set of tools at its disposal,” said Carolyn. 

In light of the rise in trade secret disputes, Carolyn emphasized the importance of working with clients on preventing trade secret theft and understanding the legal landscape surrounding trade secrets. 

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