Will that NDA’s Residuals Clause Cost You Your Trade Secrets?
Anyone who has worked in technology is familiar with nondisclosure agreements (NDAs). Differences among NDAs usually are small; they tend to cover the same territory in similar ways. However, NDAs from large companies often contain what I consider a most pernicious provision: A ” residuals clause “.
Residuals Clause Explained
A residuals clause excludes from confidentiality obligations information that the recipient’s personnel retain in their memories. Here is a typical provision, from the Microsoft Confidentiality Agreement for Licensing Discussions [document no longer available online]: (more…)
