Faegre Drinker Team Wins Critical Jury Trial for Honeywell

On May 11, 2023, a cross-office team of Faegre Drinker attorneys — including business litigation partners Randy Kahnke and Matthew Kilby; associates David Yoshimura, Anna Sallstrom and Rachel Cardwell; and product liability and mass torts associate Heather Burgess — won a jury verdict for client Honeywell following a two-week trial near Cincinnati, Ohio.

Honeywell had sued its competitor, European conglomerate Vanderlande Industries (VI), for tortious interference after VI hired 112 highly skilled Honeywell personnel who had access to Honeywell’s trade secrets and confidential information. Honeywell and VI compete in the specialized area of warehouse automation. The multimillion-dollar jury verdict compensated Honeywell for its damages and confirmed the enforceability of Honeywell’s intellectual property agreements, which many Honeywell employees have signed.

The trial followed over two years of litigation that included depositions around the country and experts from coast to coast. The trial team was supported by a broad array of firm personnel from multiple offices. 

The case received signification media attention and was featured in The American Lawyer Litigation Daily’s “Litigator of the Week” section.

See Law360’s coverage of the case and verdict for more details.