Nike Sues Three Former Designers accused of Stealing Ideas for Adidas

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Earlier this year, Marc Dolce, Denis Dekovic and Mark Miner made their departure from the Swoosh and announced that they would be joining team adidas in 2015. The Trio were responsible for some of the most innovative designs in Running, Nike Basketball and Soccer. Today, Reuters reported that the trio is being sued by Nike for stealing designs and unveiling valid information with adidas. Check out the story below

Dec 9 (Reuters) – Nike Inc is accusing three of its former senior shoe designers of stealing its commercial secrets and making off for German rival Adidas AG , which announced in September the trio would staff its new urban footwear design studio in Brooklyn.

A lawsuit filed in Oregon where Nike is headquartered claims at least $10 million in damages. The world’s largest sportswear maker said the former designers, Marc Dolce, Mark Miner, and senior design director Denis Dekovic, started consulting for Adidas while still working at the company, violating their non-compete agreements.

Nike said the designers hatched their plan last April, and pitched Adidas on a design studio that would help craft products while also bringing Adidas information about Nike’s plans for the next few years in its running, sportswear and soccer lines.

The plans for the studio were essentially for a knockoff of Nike’s own design lab, called the Kitchen, according to the complaint.

Adidas bought the studio idea and offered the designers lucrative employment contracts, Nike said. The project, called the Brooklyn Creative Design Studio, is set to open early next year.

An Adidas representative said the company attracts top talent and has “no interest in old work or past assignments.”

Nike’s spokesman declined to comment further on the case, but said the company will “vigorously” protect its intellectual property.

Before leaving Nike, the complaint alleged, the designers copied sensitive design and business documents from their computers, including drawings for an unreleased shoe made for one of Nike’s sponsored athletes.

The suit accused the designers of trying to hide their tracks by erasing incriminating emails and text messages from their work-issued cellphones and laptops.

Nike also claimed that Adidas knew of the non-compete agreements and promised to pay for any legal fallout. The agreements barred the designers from any connection with Adidas during their employment and for one year after.

The case is Nike, Inc v Denis Dekovic, Marc Dolce, and Mark Miner, in the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon for the County of Multnomah, No. 14-cv-18876.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Nike is booty hurt and this is only to send a message to current employees. Everyone knew this would happen especially Adidas. Adidas is probably covering all the legal costs and got these 3 guys some top notch lawyers. Nike is the crazy ex girlfriend.

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