Thomas G. Grace, Esq.
Thomas G. Grace graduated from Kenyon College (A.B. with Distinction. 1989) and DePaul University School of Law (J.D., 1992) where he was the Managing Editor of the Business Law Journal. Since graduating from law school, Mr. Grace has litigated cases across the country from California to Maryland, in both state and federal court, and has argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Grace’s practice is focused on trade secret, non-compete and employee disloyalty litigation. He has represented a diverse group of publicly traded and closely held corporations in trade secret litigation including companies engaged in drug discovery, software development, market research, energy brokerage, mortgage brokerage, banking, accounting, printing, paint manufacturing, and food and medical equipment distribution. Mr. Grace regularly provides assistance to clients with the identification of company trade secrets and the development of appropriate protection plans. The plans include confidentiality, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, as well as various provisions for employee handbooks and company policies.
Outside of the trade secret/employee disloyalty area, Mr. Grace has substantial experience in complex commercial, business tort and intellectual property litigation where he has represented numerous national corporations involving a variety of claims including breach of contract, tortious interference with contract and business relationships, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, conspiracy, and unfair competition.
As part of his practice development, Mr. Grace is a regular speaker and author:
Speaker: ABA Corporate Counsel Seminar, When Your Key Employee And/Or Trade Secrets Suddenly Leaves For Your Competitor: Options and Strategies (Feb. 2003); ABA Corporate Counsel Seminar, Employee Raiding: What to Do When the Pied Piper Pipes (Feb. 2007); Nevada Bar Assoc., IP Law Update – Injunctive Relief Strategies (Nov. 2005); Louisville Bar Assoc., Trade Secret Protection (Mar. 2004); Louisville Bar Assoc., The Law of Unfair Competition and Related Intellectual Property Issues: Covenants Not to Compete and Employee Disloyalty (May 2004).
Mr. Grace has also made presentations to private organizations, including the National Coalition of Pharmaceutical Distributors (August 2009) and the Nevada Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (January 2010), regarding non-compete agreements and trade secrets.
Author: Red Rover Red Rover Let My Competitor’s Employees Come Over: Is Employee “Raiding” Its Own Cause of Action, Business Torts Journal, Vo.10, No.2 (Spring 2003).
Mr. Grace is a member of the State Bar of Illinois (November 1992), United States District Court – No. Dist. Ill. Trial Bar (October 1997) and the Nevada Bar Association (2006), the Sixth and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals (February 1999 and November 2006 respectively).
