After Edward Miller left his job as a salesperson at the New England Insurance Agency, Inc., he took some of his New England customers to his new employer. At New England, the customer lists had been kept in file cabinets. Although the company did not restrict access to these files, it said there was a “you do not peruse my files and I do not peruse yours” understanding. The lists were not marked “confidential” or “not to be disclosed.”
Did Miller steal New England’s trade secrets? Whether or not he violated the law, was it ethical for him to use this information at his new job?