Olaplex Dyeing to Protect its Intellectual Property
Client Alert | 1 min read | 08.15.19
On August 12, 2019, a jury in Delaware federal court found L’Oreal USA Inc. liable for misappropriating Olaplex LLC’s trade secrets, infringing two patents relating to hair-coloring, and breaching a nondisclosure agreement between the two parties. The jury awarded $91.3 million to Olaplex. Olaplex’s victory demonstrates the importance of entering into nondisclosure agreements before disclosing potential intellectual property to a competitor – especially a large one.
This suit stems from a meeting in 2015 between L’Oreal and Olaplex to discuss a potential acquisition or licensing deal. Olaplex alleged that after the parties met, L’Oreal exploited its trade secrets and created “three knockoff versions” of products discussed during the meeting. At trial, the jury found that L’Oreal stole Olaplex’s trade secrets in violation of the nondisclosure agreement.
The jury found that L’Oreal willfully infringed both patents, leaving open the possibility of an award of increased damages.
L’Oreal hopes to remove this stain upon its reputation on appeal.
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No-Fly Zones for Drones: FAA Proposes New Rules Over Critical Infrastructure
On May 6, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a long-awaited Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would create a formal process for designating drone-free zones — known as Unmanned Aircraft Flight Restrictions (UAFRs) — over critical infrastructure facilities. The proposed rule has significant implications for the entire drone ecosystem. Facility operators across a broad range of industries would gain a potential pathway to restrict unauthorized drone access to their airspace, while commercial drone operators and companies that rely on UAS services face new compliance obligations, operational constraints, and potential criminal liability in designated zones.
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