FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contact:
Keri K. Robinson
PR & Marketing Communication Manager
Language Services Associates
(215) 259-7000 x55356
krobinson@lsaweb.com
Language Services Associates Files Counterclaims Against Language Line Services and Third Party Lawsuit Against Former Employee Bryan Lucas
Horsham, Pa. (June 16, 2011) – Language Services Associates (LSA), a global language services provider offering a full suite of translation, localization and interpretation solutions, today announced that it has filed counterclaims against Language Line Services (LLS) and a Third Party Lawsuit against former employee Bryan Lucas. These counterclaims arise out of the alleged improper business activity conducted by both LLS and Third Party Defendant Lucas, including LSA’s accusation that its trade secrets were improperly used by Lucas and LLS and that LLS wrongfully obtained a preliminary injunction against it by LLS.
LSA has filed a total of twelve counterclaims, including: Trade Secret Misappropriation Under the California Uniform Trade Secret Act; Civil Conspiracy; Wrongful Injunction; Trade Libel; Defamation; False Advertising Under the federal Lanham Act; Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage; Tortious Interference with Customer Contracts; Tortious Interference with Employment Contract; Unfair Competition; Conversion; and Breach of Contract (as to Lucas).
During the “discovery” phase of the case, LSA obtained information indicating that Lucas left his position at LLS, joined LSA as a sales rep and then, after being terminated by LSA, brought LSA’s trade secrets back to his former employer, LLS, who rehired him. LSA alleges that LLS then used Lucas’ improperly stolen trade secret information to obtain its current wrongful injunction against LSA.
This is not the first dispute between LLS and LSA in the Courts and Administrative Agencies. As previously announced in a press release distributed on May 18, 2011, LSA prevailed against LLS in Language Line Services, Inc. v. Department of General Services, 991 A.2d 383 (Pa.Cmwlth. April 28, 2010), and Giurintano v. Department of General Services, — A.3d —-, 2011 WL 1566741 (Pa.Cmwlth. Apr 25, 2011). The first case unsuccessfully challenged LSA’s right to provide services through its use of skilled independent Contractor Interpreters. The second case involved LLS’s unsuccessful efforts to obtain LSA’s protected trade secret information under Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law (RTKL).
“As Language Line continues to lose market share to smaller and more adept companies, like LSA, it has increasingly become dependent on a corporate-wide strategy to gain an unfair competitive advantage through the Courts and the filing of excessive and frivolous lawsuits,” said Laura K.T. Schriver, President and CEO, LSA. “We look forward to presenting our case in the California Courts and are very confident that the truth and LSA will prevail.”
LLS and Lucas are due to respond to the counterclaims on June 24, 2011. At the same time, LSA is currently moving forward with motions to dissolve the injunction after obtaining reports from a court-appointed computer forensic expert that LSA says is conclusive proof that it did not use any LLS trade secrets.
About Language Services Associates
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Language Services Associates (LSA) helps facilitate foreign language communication and eliminate multicultural communication barriers across a variety of settings and industry segments. Founded by Laura K. T. Schriver, who still holds the title of President and CEO, LSA promises to deliver innovative language-based solutions while consistently providing exceptional customer service support. LSA is proud to offer all encompassing language and cultural services, including Translation and Localization, Interpreting by Telephone (IBT), Face-to-Face Interpreting, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), American Sign Language (ASL) and Intercultural Consulting. For more information on LSA, please call (800) 305-9673 or visit us online.
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