Jeffrey M. Csercsevits is Of Counsel in the Philadelphia office, where he focuses his national practice on counseling and representing employers in a variety of employment-related issues, including trade secrets and restrictive covenant agreements.   

Trade Secret, Restrictive Covenant, and Employment Litigation

Jeff has prosecuted and defended injunctive relief actions in state and federal courts throughout the United States.  These matters involve claims of trade secret misappropriation, as well as breaches of non-compete agreements, non-solicit agreements, and confidentiality agreements.

In addition to injunctive relief litigation, Jeff has substantial experience in the financial services industry where he regularly handles employment disputes on behalf of national clients.  He has represented industry firms and financial advisors in over 100 FINRA arbitration actions.  Jeff has arbitration experience with employment agreements, transition and retention loans, sunset/retirement agreements, teaming agreements, unfair competition, wrongful termination, constructive discharge, compensation issues, and Form U-5 defamation.

Competitive Hire and Defection Counseling

Jeff regularly counsels clients on employee recruitment and hiring.  In this capacity, he evaluates potential legal risks associated with hiring employees from the competition and offers strategic guidance for minimizing legal risk while still advancing business interests and promoting corporate growth.   

Jeff also has extensive experience counseling clients on the loss of an employee to the competition and has handled hundreds of employee defections.  He has worked with clients to investigate breaches of post-employment obligations and to develop and implement enforcement strategies.   

He has also investigated employees who are perceived flight risks and provides counsel on anticipatory strategies to minimize the impact of the expected resignation.  Jeff is also experienced with forensic investigations to assess an employee’s removal of trade secret information through electronic means in preparation for departure.   

Upon completion of law school, Jeff served as a law clerk to Honorable Paul T. Koenig, Jr., the Honorable Paul Innes, and the Honorable Bill Mathesisus in the Superior Court of New Jersey. 

Experience

• Secured a permanent injunction against an employee who was using misappropriated trade secrets to solicit business away from our client, enabling our client to protect its information and client relationships.
• Successfully defended a team of employees against their former employer’s request for a temporary restraining order and its subsequent request for a preliminary injunction, permitting our clients to continue their employment and develop their business.
• Obtained $1.8 million arbitration award on a breach of contract claim. Successfully defended former employee’s counterclaims, including breach of contract, constructive discharge, and defamation.
• Obtained $1.1 million arbitration award on a breach of contract claim. Successfully defended former employee’s counterclaims, including fraudulent inducement, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract and defamation.
• Obtained $965,000 arbitration award on a breach of contract claim. Successfully defended former employee’s counterclaims for wrongful termination, defamation, tortious interference, and violation of the Lanham Act.
• Successfully defended a group of employees against a former employer’s request for a temporary restraining order, based on claims of trade secret misappropriation and breach of non-solicitation agreements, permitting our clients to continue employment and grow their business.
• Represented a corporate client in obtaining a temporary restraining order against a former employee, based on the misappropriation of trade secrets, wherein the company was able to protect the disclosure of its trade secrets to its competitors.
• Obtained a temporary restraining order against a group of employees for breaching non-solicitation agreements, which protected our client’s continued relationships with its customers.

Honors & Awards

• Included on the 2015 through 2019 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star lists

Professional Activities

• Committee Member, State Bar of Michigan Unauthorized Practice of the Law Committee

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