In our experience, many clients have regretted trusting their employees—and in some cases, their business partners—with their intellectual property rights. When a business becomes successful, it runs the risk of some employees or business partners believing that they could set up a similar business and apply key insights gleaned from the company’s IPR to attract the same customers and gain greater profits and market share. When the fortunes of a business decline, a company may have to watch out for business partners or employees deciding to jump ship and setting out to utilize the IPR in what they hope will be a more effective fashion. As the examples in this article indicate, precautions should be taken from the outset to avoid either scenario.