James “Jim” Pooley is one of the world’s leading authorities on tradesecret law. A veteran Silicon Valley trial lawyer, he was instrumental in shaping and securing the passage of the landmark Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA), which will mark its 10th anniversary in May 2026. Pooley has also held the role of Deputy Director General of WIPO and is the author of “Secrets: Managing Information Assets in the Age of Cyberespionage”.

Sitting down with IAM in San Francisco, Pooley shared his thoughts on the evolving litigation landscape – from the growing complexity of identifying trade secrets during litigation to the strategic choice of venues in state versus federal courts. He also spoke about the impact of the DTSA, the challenges of extraterritoriality and why courts are becoming more sophisticated in evaluating “reasonable protection measures”.

His insights offer useful guidance for practitioners and in-house counsel seeking to grasp the nuances of building a winning strategy in high-stakes disputes.

You can read the full transcript of the featured interview with Jim on IAM's website by clicking the button below.