Texas Instruments Inc. has lost a legal effort to stop a former executive from taking a position at a rival semiconductor firm. Judge Jerry Bullard of the Texas Business Court issued an order on Aug. 21 denying the company's request for a temporary injunction. The ruling allows Kannan Soundrapandian, a former vice president at Texas Instruments, to proceed with his new role at GlobalFoundries Inc.
The court determined that Texas Instruments failed to demonstrate that Soundrapandian misused confidential information in his new capacity. This conclusion held true even after the former executive met with a client that Texas Instruments is seeking to engage. The judge noted that the semiconductor company's claims regarding the circumstances of the hire were not supported by sufficient evidence.
Texas Instruments had argued that GlobalFoundries US Inc. recruited Soundrapandian specifically to assist in securing mutual potential clients. However, Judge Bullard characterized these arguments as lacking substance. The judge found that the former vice president has, for the time being, adhered to his contractual obligations regarding trade secrets with his previous employer.
The decision stands as a denial of the temporary injunction sought by Texas Instruments. The order reflects the court's assessment that the plaintiff did not meet the burden of proof required to block the executive's employment transition. No further details regarding the specific nature of the client meetings or the scope of the trade secret obligations were provided in the source material.
