Judge Denies Infogroup’s Attempt to Stay DatabaseUSA’s Trade-Secret Theft Case against It and Its Attorneys, Koley Jessen

January 07, 2019 05:37 PM Eastern Standard Time

OMAHA, Neb.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–On January 4, 2019, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA rejected an attempt of Defendants Infogroup, Koley Jessen, and Blake Van Gilder to stay a case brought by DatabaseUSA alleging theft of trade secrets. In that case, DatabaseUSA has alleged that Van Gilder, a former employee of both DatabaseUSA and Infogroup, admitted during a deposition while under oath that he had taken information from DatabaseUSA and offered to provide it to Infogroup.

This information consisted of highly sensitive and proprietary trade secrets. Infogroup agreed to accept the materials and in March 2016, Van Gilder testified that he provided the materials to Infogroup’s attorneys, Koley Jessen. Neither Infogroup nor Koley Jessen informed DatabaseUSA or the authorities of the theft. DatabaseUSA did not learn of this theft until it came to light over a year later during Van Gilder’s deposition. DatabaseUSA’s complaint includes claims of violations of the Nebraska Trade Secrets Act and aiding and abetting of civil conspiracy. This case is captioned DatabaseUSA.com, LLC v. Van Gilder, Infogroup, Inc., and Koley Jessen, PC, LLO, Case No. CI 8:17-cv-386, and is venued in the District of Nebraska. It is set for trial in January 2020.