Dawn Mertineit, Marcus Mintz, and Michael Wexler Author Chapter on US Trade Secrets Trends in Chambers Global Practice Guide

Dawn Mertineit, Marcus Mintz, and Michael Wexler, co-chairs of Seyfarth's national Trade Secrets, Computer Fraud, and Non-Competes practice, are among the contributing authors to the Chambers Trade Secrets 2026 Global Practice Guide.

Mertineit, Mintz, and Wexler authored Chapter 13, “USA Trends and Developments,” examining the evolving US legal landscape governing restrictive covenants, trade secret protection, and employee mobility.

The chapter provides a detailed analysis of the Federal Trade Commission’s abandoned effort to impose a nationwide non-compete ban, the continued expansion of state-level restrictions, and emerging judicial trends that are reshaping how businesses protect confidential information. The authors also explore how technological advances, remote work, and high-stakes litigation are increasing both trade secret risk and enforcement complexity. 

They explain that regulatory scrutiny remains intense despite the FTC’s withdrawal of its rule:

“The regulatory pressure is far from disappearing, and businesses operating in the United States must carefully safeguard their intellectual property in the event their restrictive covenant agreements are struck down or otherwise limited.” 

The full chapter is available in the Chambers Trade Secrets 2026 Global Practice Guide.