HARRISBURG (Feb. 26, 2004) � The Pennsylvania Bar Association Intellectual Property Section today lauded the General Assembly and Gov. Edward Rendell for passage of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Act 14 of 2003).

The Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA) provides Pennsylvania courts with a legal framework for improving trade secret protection for Pennsylvania industries. The act provides injunctive relief for the actual or threatened misappropriation of a trade secret and further provides for the recovery of monetary damages for the misappropriation of a trade secret.

�The PBA worked tirelessly for nine years on this reform so that Pennsylvania could join the 43 states and the District of Columbia who have adopted some version of the UTSA,� PBA Intellectual Property Chair Carmen Santa Maria of Harrisburg said. �The implementation of the UTSA will provide individuals and businesses with more predictability in knowing the level of protection that their trade secrets will be afforded in Pennsylvania. The UTSA was adopted with only some minor variations that included, among other things, adding Customer/Client lists to the definition of trade secret.�

The Pennsylvania Bar Association is a membership organization representing the interests of 28,000 lawyers licensed to practice in Pennsylvania.