Answering Common Questions from Clients: I have been accused of stealing trade secrets. How much might I owe my previous employer?

By Serena Morones, CPA, ASA, ABV, CFE

 

 

 

You’ve left your job to launch something new. Now your former employer is claiming you took trade secrets with you — and they want compensation.

You ask: What’s the financial exposure here? How much might I owe?

At Morones Analytics, we’re often brought in to assess the alleged financial impact of trade secret use — from either side of the dispute.

In matters like these, we work with legal counsel to evaluate:

• The nature and value of the information in question — Was it actually proprietary? Was it used and how was it used?
• Causation and benefit — Did your new business gain an unfair advantage, or would success have occurred regardless?
• Potential damages — Such as lost profits, unjust enrichment, or a reasonable royalty model

These cases require a clear, fact-based narrative supported by thorough financial analysis. Whether you’re defending against overstated claims or trying to reach a fair settlement, we bring the independent expertise needed to illuminate the financial realities.

Allegations around trade secrets can be stressful and high-stakes — but they don’t have to be a black box. We help clarify what’s really at issue.

 

———————————————————————-

Serena Morones, CPA, ASA, ABV, CFE is an independent damages and business valuation expert. Top commercial and IP litigators turn to her again and again to resolve high-stakes disputes through expert testimony or settlement.

503-906-1579  |  [email protected]