SAFE to offer advice on protecting intellectual property

Imagine what would happen if a U.S. company’s bread-and-butter technology was stolen by insiders, transferred to another company outside the United States, and used to create a competing product.

Such a scenario isn’t difficult to imagine, because it happens all too often. The results? The U.S. company loses market share and sometimes millions of dollars in revenue. Its stock is devalued. Employees are laid off. Retirement plans take a beating. Sometimes the company is forced to close its doors.

In an upcoming presentation, Robert Cleary, the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, will lay on the line what can happen when intellectual property is stolen, and why people working at a national laboratory should be concerned.

His presentation also will include steps you can take to prevent the theft of intellectual property. Cleary will talk about how the criminal justice system deals with those who steal intellectual property and, in doing so, create havoc within the U.S. economy.

Cleary will present "Protecting Intellectual Property, What Have You Got To Lose?" at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, in the Bldg. 123 auditorium. Security Awareness For Employees (SAFE) program is hosting the talk.

All LLNL and Sandia employees and contractors and DOE personnel are invited to attend this unclassified presentation.

"Everyone at the Laboratory who is involved with intellectual property development or intellectual property issues has something to be gained from hearing this presentation," said Terry Turchie, SAFE Program manager.

Cleary is a subject matter expert. He successfully prosecuted three people, including two employees, who conspired to steal highly successful Internet voice and data communication technology from Lucent Technologies, Inc., to use it to form their own company, then to transfer the source code and software out of the U.S. to their home country.

"As prosecutor of the Lucent Technologies case, Bob is on the front lines of the battle to combat economic espionage and to protect intellectual property," Turchie said.

Cleary is currently coordinating the investigation of the mailing of anthrax to lawmakers’ offices in Washington. He was the lead prosecutor for the UNABOM case, and pursued recent allegations of corruption in the sport of boxing.

"I think people will find Cleary’s presentation to be frank, highly descriptive, and very effective," Turchie said.