
About
David Pardue has more than 30 years of experience representing clients in business litigation and with their intellectual property needs. He has particularly deep experience with trade secrets, trademark litigation, employment and noncompetes, and insurance coverage issues related to intellectual property. His clients range from Fortune 500 companies to small family businesses.
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David has represented diverse parties in federal and state courts around the country, as well as in arbitration. These cases have run the gamut from business torts like fraud to statutory claims under RICO, the Defend Trade Secrets Act, the FLSA, and the CFAA (computer fraud). Beyond that, David has handled numerous cases under contract and commercial law.
Practices
Arbitration and Mediation
Employment and Labor
Intellectual Property Litigation
Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants
Admissions
Georgia
Education
Yale University, JD, 1993
Tulane University, BA, summa cum laude, 1989
Honors
The Best Lawyers in America in Labor and Employment Litigation, 2025; Trade Secrets Law, 2022-2025
World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR), Notable Individual in Trade Secrets, 2024
Georgia Super Lawyers, 2008-2010, 2014-2024
Georgia Trend magazine’s “Legal Elite," 2006, 2008-2010, 2012-2013
Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
Phi Beta Kappa
Memberships
United States Intellectual Property Alliance, Board of Directors, 2024-present
State Bar of Georgia, Intellectual Property Section, Trade Secrets Committee, Chair, 2018-present; Trial Section, 1994-present
American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), Intellectual Property Committee, Employment Law Committee, Business Litigation Committee, Vice Chair, 2019-2020
American Bar Association Litigation Section, Trade Secrets Subcommittee, Vice Chair, 2014-2015; Commercial and Business Litigation Committee, 2010-present
American Bar Association Intellectual Property Section, 2010-present
Georgia Lawyers for the Arts, 2015-present
EarthShare Georgia, Board of Directors, 2020-present
American Liver Foundation, Southeast Division, Board Chair, 2005-2008
Experience
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP
Representative Matters
Obtained expedited discovery, injunction, and a $5 million judgment in a RICO case on behalf of a public company against a former customer. Nortel Networks Inc. v. Cornell Wireless, et al.
Brought trade secrets suit against former sales manager and filed for injunction and expedited discovery; settled for value of $1.4 million. Chryso, Inc. v. Innovative Concrete Solutions of the Carolinas, LLC.
Defeated motion for preliminary injunction in a trademark case and successfully settled shortly thereafter. Jomaps, LLC v. D-Mand Better Products, LLC et al., 2012 WL 5235533 (ND GA 2012).
Won appeal of summary judgment that tenant had waived restrictive covenant and owed attorney's fees. Cascade Crossings II v. Radio Shack Corp., 131 Fed.Appx. 191 (11th Cir. 2003).
Defeated motion for preliminary injunction in a trademark case involving Korean furniture brand. Jangsoo Indus. Co. v. Jangsoo Furniture Land, Inc., No. 1:10-cv-1225, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14219, at *6 (N.D.Ga. Feb. 11, 2011).
Obtained ex parte temporary restraining order in federal court against a violator of a noncompete leading to a quick mediation and settlement.
Defended a nonprofit after a temporary restraining order had already been granted against it for trade secret claims; led a thorough forensic cleansing of computer systems and social media, which led to the plaintiff dismissing the case and canceling the restraining order before trial without compensation. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association v. Susan Ruediger, CMT Research Foundation, Inc.
In the News
Pierson Ferdinand Strengthens IP Department with Trade Secrets Litigator in Atlanta, June 5, 2025
David Pardue Quoted in IAM About California Trade Secrets Case, March 31, 2025
David Pardue Quoted in IAM About Company's Petition for SCOTUS Review of Landmark Trade Secrets Case, January 27, 2025
David Pardue Quoted in IAM About Preliminary Injunction Issued Against FTC's Noncompete Ban, July 16, 2024
David Pardue Quoted in IAM About Jury Verdict in Trade Secrets Case, June 10, 2024
David Pardue Quoted in IAM About FTC Noncompete Ban, April 29, 2024
David Pardue Quoted in Law360 on $2 Billion Trade Secrets Battle, April 10, 2024
David Pardue Quoted in IAM About Settlement in Yearslong Trade Secrets Case, March 26, 2024
David Pardue Quoted in Law360 on Georgia Supreme Court Ruling's Impact on Businesses, July 03, 2023
David Pardue Quoted on Business Litigation Trends in Southeast Takeaways, May 03, 2021
David Pardue's Board Role Highlighted in the Daily Report, July 06, 2020
Publications
“Noncompete Clauses in the Crosshairs,” IAM, April 2025
“Diving into the Trade Secrets Debate: The Listing Predicament,” Today's General Counsel, December 2023
“Jury Verdict Shows Importance of Managing Trade Secrets,” Industry Today, October 2023
“Navigating the Rising Wave Against Noncompetes,” Life Sciences Intellectual Property Review, August 2023
“Practical Tips for Banks in Navigating Noncompete and Trade Secret Disputes,” Bank Business News, December 2022
“In the Weeds With a New Noncompete Strategy: Garden Leave,” Columbia Business Monthly, Greenville Business Magazine, and Charleston Business Magazine, January 2021
“Why Some Businesses—but Not Law Firms—Have Begun Adopting a New Noncompete Strategy,” The Daily Report, December 2020
“A Look at Important Differences in the Georgia Supreme Court Judicial Emergency Extension,” The Daily Report, April 2020
“Data Breach Victims Now Have Standing to Sue in Georgia,” The Daily Report, March 2020
“Trade Secrets and IP Today, Not So Fast! Was the Ballot Language of the November 2010 Proposal to Amend the Georgia Constitution for the Restrictive Covenant Act Unconstitutional?”, Atlanta Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section Newsletter, Winter 2012
Speaking Engagements
“International Trade Secret Litigation,” 2025 Sedona Conference on Global Intellectual Property Litigation, March 2025
“Turning Gold Dust Into Gold Bars: What, Why, and How to Identify and Protect Your Trade Secrets,” Business Litigation Forum: Ethics, Class Action & Trade Secrets, February 2025
“From Secrets to Security: Navigating Trade Secrets in a Shifting IP Landscape,” United States Intellectual Property Alliance (USIPA), October 2024
“Trade Secret Litigation Case Management Issues,” The Sedona Conference Working Group 12 Annual Meeting, September 2024
“Keeping Secrets and Watching Your Mouth! Pursuing and Defending Trade Secrets and Business Claims,” April 2022