Dun & Bradstreet Facing Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit Alleging Technology Misappropriation and Unfair Competition

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Feb. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tropare, Inc. (Tropare) filed suit on Friday in the Superior Court of New Jersey – Essex County against Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. (D&B) and Lattice Engines, Inc. Adkisson Pitet is proud to represent Tropare, along with OlenderFeldman LLP, in its New Jersey lawsuit against D&B. The Amended Counterclaims, which is the result of recently obtained discovery, alleges egregious misappropriation and misuse of Tropare confidential information and intellectual property by D&B, a corporation that is known for safeguarding some of the world's most sensitive corporate and consumer data.

Tropare is a small software development company in Laguna Beach, specializing in the development of mobile applications, high performance databases and related technology that help companies identify their target audiences and market and sell their products more effectively.

The Amended Counterclaims alleges that D&B blatantly misappropriated Tropare's confidential information and intellectual property with the blessing, if not at the direction, of its most senior executives. Tropare alleges that D&B established and executed a plan to crush Tropare by misappropriating its technology for D&B's own financial benefit, and improperly disclosed Tropare's confidential and proprietary information to third parties. 

The Amended Counterclaims alleges that D&B's CEO, Anthony Jabbour, crowed about "winning" back Sprint from Tropare at a company "Global Town Hall" meeting – including lauding the alleged perpetrators of Tropare's intellectual property. The Amended Counterclaims further allege that Tropare's prior practice of licensing technology directly to businesses worked well and would have continued as such but for the wrongful actions of D&B. However, the Amended Counterclaims allege that in 2012 D&B induced Tropare to enter into a business transaction through false promises that D&B would use its best efforts to market and license Tropare's products to D&B's expansive customer base. Over the next six years, as alleged in the Amendment Counterclaims, D&B did not meet its obligations or comply with its prior representations. When Tropare discovered D&B's misrepresentations, it terminated the relationship with D&B.

Unfortunately for Tropare as alleged in the Amended Counterclaims, the license termination resulted in D&B executives conceiving and executing a sinister plan called "Project Oopsie" after Tropare's prior name "Boopsie" to misappropriate Tropare's technology, target all of Tropare's customers and put Tropare out of business. The Amended Counterclaims allege that Project Oopsie involved D&B and Lattice obtaining improper access to, and then reverse engineering, Tropare's confidential pioneering technology since D&B's and Lattice's own technology was inferior and would not be acceptable to the customers D&B was pursuing. Through their wrongful actions, the Amended Counterclaims allege that D&B and Lattice were ultimately able to develop a new product with virtually the same interface and functionality as Tropare's technology, steal Tropare's customers, and ultimately destroy Tropare as an active business. 

The lawsuit seeks multi-millions in direct and punitive damages as well as injunctive relief to prevent D&B and Lattice from using Tropare's technology, confidential information and intellectual property.

About Adkisson Pitet LLP: Adkisson Pitet LLP was formed to solve the legal concerns of corporations (ranging from Fortune 500 companies to middle market companies to entrepreneurs) and individuals. The firm handles litigation of all types, including business litigation, intellectual property litigation, insurance coverage and bad faith, real estate litigation, white collar criminal defense, and trust and probate. Other practice areas include Creditor-Debtor; Captive Insurance; and Business Transactions, Employment Law, Tax Controversy, and Estate Planning. 

Contact: Christopher L. Petit
Managing Partner

Address: 100 Bayview Circle, Suite 210
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Ph. 949-502-7755
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SOURCE Adkisson Pitet LLP