David Darnell: Case Study of a Successful Business Litigation Trial With Punitive Damages Obtained

As a business owner, it is your hope that the employees you bring on board will have good intentions as they become integrated into your business practices and learn the tactics that make your brand stand out as a success. Unfortunately, not every employee is as trustworthy as they may seem. When a former employee uses your business’s trade secret information to steal your customers, you can hold them legally responsible for their actions with the help of one of our trusted attorneys. In a recent business litigation case handled by Attorney David Darnell, he was able to take legal actions and help our client get the justice they deserved. 

At Callahan & Blaine, our business litigation law firm has been serving clients in California for 40 years. Our team of 29 skilled trial lawyers each have over eight years of experience representing clients. We are prepared to help you obtain punitive damages after you are faced with a former employee who has misappropriated trade secrets from your corporate business. 

Attorney David Darnell Helped Our Client Get Justice

Recently, Attorney David Darnell, one of our partners at Callahan & Blaine, brought an action for misappropriation of trade secrets for our corporate client against a competitor who was a former employee of our client’s business. The defendant had formed a turn-key copycat business and used our client’s confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information to solicit and steal customers away from our client’s business.

After a month-long trial, Attorney David Darnell and the Callahan & Blaine trial team obtained a resounding jury verdict in favor of our client in the amount of $1,366,868. The jury found that the defendant copied and stole the following from our client:

  • Our client’s database of customer contacts and customer lists
  • Our client’s pricing information
  • Our client’s pricing strategies and other confidential information

The defendant used all of this stolen information to solicit, divert, and convert clients and sales away from our client’s business. The verdict was based on the jury’s unanimous 12-0 findings on liability in favor of our client and against the defendant on each of the six causes of action. The jury awarded compensatory damages in the amount of $1,166,868 and found that the defendant engaged in conduct with malice, oppression, or fraud, and thus awarded punitive damages of $200,000 to our client. In addition, through post-trial motions, the court awarded injunctive relief, along with attorney’s fees and costs, resulting in a total judgment for $2.453 million. 

We are proud to have been able to help our client get the justice they deserved and are prepared to do the same for you if your business is threatened in a similar situation. To learn more about how we can help with your business litigation case, contact our California law firm today.

Contact a California Business Litigation Attorney Today

If your business has suffered due to the unlawful actions of a former employer or competitor, our team of trusted trial lawyers can help. We have helped clients achieve sizable settlements, including compensation for punitive damages, and are prepared to use our legal skills to help build your case and get the justice you are owed. To get help building a strong business litigation case, retain the help of one of our trusted lawyers in California today.

Callahan & Blaine is a California law firm with years of experience handling cases involving business litigation. If you are ready to build a claim and hold the defendant liable for their actions against your business, contact our law firm by calling (714) 241-4444 or completing our contact form.