The benefit of early discovery in defending trade secret claims.

This is a good article on the benefits of early discovery in defending trade secret claims. The author's justification centers around requiring the plaintiff to define exactly what he or she considers a trade secret. Early discovery often surprises the other party, but it also makes early settlement more difficult. Requesting discovery draws the proverbial battle lines. So if you propound early discovery requests, expect the battle to be at least temporarily prolonged.