Troy Industries, Inc. Wins $505,000 Verdict Against Samson MFG.


June 21, 2007, Boston, Massachusetts. 


Today, a Suffolk County Superior Court jury awarded Troy Industries, Inc. a $505,000.00 verdict against Samson Manufacturing Corporation and Scott Samson, individually.  The jury found that Samson violated the Confidentiality Agreement it had with Troy and that Samson wrongfully used Troy’s trade secrets and confidential business information.

The jury also found that Samson engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices in violation that Samson engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices entitles Troy to an award of its attorney fees and costs.

The trade secrets at issue were for Troy’s ideas, inventions, designs and drawings of the Modular Rail Fore-end (MRF), for which Troy was recently issued U.S. Patent No. 7,216,451.  Also at issue were Troy’s designs and drawings for the Forward Hand Grip and Scope Mount.  These products are Troy’s designs for accessories for the M16 family of rifles and carbines used by out military in training and in combat abroad, including the Middle East.

Troy is a designer of military weapons and weapons accessories.  Stephen P. Troy, President of Troy Industries, Inc., said, “this vindicates me.  The decision of the jury clearly shows these were my ideas, my designs and my invention from the very beginning.” 

Damian R. LaPlaca, of Donovan Hatem LLP, Troy’s lead trial counsel, added, “This means that when you steal somebody’s trade secrets and ideas and try to pass them off as your own, you’ll have to pay.”  Troy was also represented at trial by attorneys Sarah, K. Willy, Troy’s General Counsel, and Christian G. Samito, and Law Clerk Emily Coes, each of Donovan Hatem and was further assisted by patent counsel, Ann Lamort Hammitte, of Lowris, Lando, & Anastasi LLP.

The jury also found Samson, on it’s claim that Troy breached a purchase order and the machining of the MRF and awarded Samson no damages.


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