David Almeling

David Almeling is a Lecturer at UC Berkeley School of Law where he teaches Trade Secret Law, while maintaining his primary role as a partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP in San Francisco. He is widely recognized as one of the country's leading authorities in trade secret law, with Chambers USA ranking him in Band 1 (its highest category) among the top seven trade secret lawyers nationwide. His practice spans the full range of trade secret and employee mobility issues, from advising on protection programs to investigating alleged thefts to litigating trade secret cases in state and federal court.

Mr. Almeling earned his J.D. from Duke University School of Law with high honors, where he was Order of the Coif, note editor of Duke Law Journal, and a member of the Moot Court Board. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Florida with highest honors as valedictorian and Phi Beta Kappa.

His research interests focus on trade secret law, intellectual property strategy, and the intersection between patent and trade secret protection. He has published extensively on trade secret law, including the fourth edition of his book Trade Secret Law and Corporate Strategy (LexisNexis 2024) and numerous scholarly articles. His work demonstrates a consistent focus on practical applications of trade secret law for corporate strategy, with particular attention to identification of trade secrets, monetary remedies, and the relationship between trade secrets and noncompete agreements.

Mr. Almeling has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his expertise, including being named to the 'Hall of Fame' by The Legal 500 US for Trade Secrets (2023-2025), ranked in Band 1 by Chambers USA, and recognized by World Intellectual Property Review as Highly Recommended. He has also been named one of Law360's 'Rising Stars' and featured in The National Law Journal's list of 'Intellectual Property Trailblazers & Pioneers.'

As Chair of O'Melveny's Trade Secret Group and Chair of the Sedona Conference Working Group on trade secrets, Mr. Almeling has significant leadership responsibilities in his field. He has testified before Congress on safeguarding trade secrets and serves as co-author of the 'Trade Secret Case Management Judicial Guide,' a 400-page treatise published by the Federal Judicial Center. His practice includes representing clients in high-stakes trade secret litigation resulting in significant settlements and victories, including a $22.5M settlement that would rank among the top-ten trade secret jury verdicts.