On Friday, April 16, 2010, Hamline University School of Law and the Hamline Law Review will present a symposium to mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (the UTSA). The editors of the Hamline Law Review invite writing proposals and requests to present from scholars, researchers, practitioners, and professionals on topics related to the history, purpose, and meaning of the UTSA.
The significance of the UTSA is exemplified, in part, from its drafting history. The UTSA was drafted after issues regarding the creation of a uniform law to govern trade secrets were raised at American Bar Association meetings in the mid-1960s. After years of discussions and development, the UTSA was formally adopted by the National Conference of Commissioners of Uniform State Laws (also known as the Uniform Law Commission) in 1979. In August of 1980, Minnesota became the first state to adopt the UTSA, with the new law going into effect in Minnesota and several other states on January 1, 1981. Since that time, forty-five states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have adopted the UTSA, making it the predominate law governing trade secrets in the United States.
The upcoming symposium and the symposium edition of the Hamline Law Review will reflect on the history, purpose, and meaning of the UTSA, explore the future of trade secret law, and assess the impact the UTSA has had on trade secret law, domestically and internationally. Authors and presenters may also discuss issues related to the uniform lawmaking process and differences in trade secret laws among the United States.
Please submit proposals of no more than 500 words by attachment to lcapeder01@hamline.edu by October 15, 2009.
All proposals should include the name, title, institutional affiliation, and contact information of the intended author/presenter, and should address matters related to the UTSA. Authors are also welcome, but not required, to submit a CV.
The Hamline Law Review expects to make invitations to speak and publication offers by November 1, 2009. Completed articles/essays will be due March 1, 2010 for publication in the Summer 2010 edition of the Hamline Law Review.
–Sharon Sandeen
