A Colorado company that successfully sued over an employee’s newly-designed sealed bearing pack for mud motors used in oil and gas drilling has lost an attempt to reopen a second lawsuit.
The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Hawg Tools, LLC in a legal fight with Newsco International Energy Services, Inc., Newsco International Services USA, Inc, Newsco Directional and Horizontal Services, Inc. and Joe Ficken.
Ficken was the employee assigned to Hawg Tools and designed the sealed bearing pack then took a job at Newsco. In 2013, Hawgo sued Newsco and FIcken alleging trade secret misappropriation, civic theft, conversion, unjust enrichment, civil conspiracy and breach of contract. Hawg won at a jury trial then filed suit a year later claiming Ficken and Newsco had continued to misappropriate trade secrets.
The case went from state to federal courts where it was administratively closed. Hawgo sought to reopen the case but the Denver Appeals Court upheld a judge’s decision.