Aclara BioSciences, a US developer of lab-on-a-chip technology
that was ordered to pay rival company Caliper Technologies $52
million over the disclosure of trade secrets, has succeeded in
persuading a court to reduce the damages to reflect a $12 million
settlement from another related case and reduced by $5 million the
sum awarded by a jury making its final award a total of $47
million.
Caliper won its case by convincing a US court that patent lawyer
Dr. Bertrain Rowland represented both Aclara and Caliper during
overlapping periods, that he misused Caliper’s trade secrets, and
that Aclara should be liable for Dr. Rowland's actions. Alcara
claimed that it did not know that Dr. Rowland was also acting for
its competitor.
The companies also have two outstanding patent disputes.
