Atty. Russell Beck

Atty. Russell Beck

Russell Beck is a business, trade secrets, and employee mobility litigator, nationally recognized for his trade secrets and noncompete experience. He was invited to the Obama White House to develop guidelines for the proper use of noncompetes and has been cited as an expert on trade secrets and noncompetes by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the White House, the Treasury Department, National Public Radio, PBS, the BBC World News Service, Le Monde, and many others.

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Profile Summary

About Russell Beck at a glance

Russell Beck is a employment, business, trade secrets, and litigation attorney based in Boston, Massachusetts, practicing at Beck Reed Riden LLP. Educated at Boston University School of Law (J.D., 1989). Recognitions include Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Labor and Employment (Boston) (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Employment Law - Management (2026). Serands clients in Boston, MA and the surrounding metropolitan area.

Verified attorney profile · Updated June 2026

About

  • Russell Beck is a business, trade secrets, and employee mobility litigator, nationally recognized for his trade secrets and noncompete experience
  • He was invited to the Obama White House to develop guidelines for the proper use of noncompetes and has been cited as an expert on trade secrets and noncompetes by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the White House, the Treasury Department, National Public Radio, PBS, the BBC World News Service, Le Monde, and many others
  • Russell has over 30 years of experience as a complex business, trade secrets, and noncompete litigator, representing corporate and individual clients throughout the country in federal and state trial and appellate courts, arbitrations, and mediations
  • Russell is a leading authority on the law of trade secrets and noncompetes
  • In addition to his many years assisting his clients (ranging from Fortune 500 companies to individuals) on trade secrets and noncompete matters around the country, he is frequently called upon to advise on trade secrets and noncompete legislation and policy issues
  • In 2016, he was invited to the White House to participate in working group discussions that led to the development by the White House of a Call to Action on noncompetes. (He was the only private practice lawyer to participate in those discussions.) He was asked to draft one of the first two noncompete bills filed in Massachusetts
  • For the next nine years, he advised several Massachusetts legislators on potential trade secrets and noncompete legislation, drafted or revised many of the proposed noncompete bills (which became law effective on October 1, 2018), modified the trade secrets bill (which became law effective on October 1, 2018), and provided advice to the Patrick Administration about its proposed noncompete and trade secrets bill
  • He has assisted a United States Senator on proposed noncompete legislation
  • He has been quoted and his work cited in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, Fortune, and Le Monde, as well as by the White House and the United States Treasury Department
  • He has also been interviewed on PBS Newshour, On Point (NPR/WBUR), and NECN News
  • Russell has prepared several resources that are widely used: He authored the book, Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed. MCLE 2019) (covering trade secrets nationally, with a focus on Massachusetts law)
  • He authored the book, Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (5th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2015) (covering Massachusetts noncompete law)
  • He authored the chapters Trade Secret Misappropriation and Noncompetition Agreements for Intellectual Property Practice (MCLE, Inc. 2004-2016) (covering trade secrets law nationally and Massachusetts noncompete law)
  • He prepared the firm’s widely-used 50 State Noncompete Survey (the first of its kind and updated regularly since 2010)
  • He prepared the firm’s 50 State Trade Secrets Comparison Chart (also the first of its kind)
  • Russell also founded and chaired Foley & Lardner LLP’s Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice and created and teaches Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law. (Boston University’s Intellectual Property program, of which Russell’s course is a part, has been ranked in the top 10 in the country by U.S
  • News and World Reports.)

Practice Areas Explained

Russell Beck's Areas of Practice

Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Russell Beck handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.

Employment Law

Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.

Russell Beck is one of 169,120 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in Massachusetts →

Business & Corporate Law

Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.

Russell Beck is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Massachusetts →

Trade Secrets

Russell Beck is one of 6,644 trade secrets attorneys indexed nationally. Browse trade secrets attorneys in Massachusetts →

Civil Litigation

Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.

Russell Beck is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Massachusetts →

Jurisdictional Context

Why local counsel matters in Massachusetts

Practicing law in Massachusetts. Legal matters in Massachusetts are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Boston are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Massachusetts state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Massachusetts brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Massachusetts courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.

Looking for additional Massachusetts attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Boston or all attorneys in Massachusetts.

Frequently Asked

Common questions about Russell Beck

Where is Russell Beck's law office located?
Russell Beck's law practice is located in Boston, Massachusetts. The firm is Beck Reed Riden LLP. You can contact the office directly through this profile page.
What practice areas does Russell Beck handle?
Russell Beck focuses on employment, business, trade secrets, litigation. Each practice area listed reflects experience handling cases of that type in Massachusetts.
Where did Russell Beck go to law school?
Russell Beck earned their education at (J.D., 1989).
How can I contact Russell Beck for a consultation?
You can contact Russell Beck directly through this profile page. Click "Ask the Attorney" to submit a question, or "Schedule a Consultation" to book a meeting. Most claimed-profile attorneys respond within one business day.
What awards or recognition has Russell Beck received?
Russell Beck's notable recognition includes: Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Labor and Employment (Boston); Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation; Best Lawyers in America — Employment Law - Management; Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Labor and Employment; Best Lawyers in America — Trade Secrets Law.

Education

J.D.
Boston University School of Law
- 1989

Awards

Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Labor and Employment (Boston)
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Employment Law - Management
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Labor and Employment
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Trade Secrets Law
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice:
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Information Technology Law
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Intellectual Property
- 2026
Lawyer of the Year — Employment Law - Management (Boston)
- 2024
Lawyer of the Year — Trade Secrets Law (Boston)
- 2024
Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Labor and Employment (Boston)
- 2023
Lawyer of the Year — Trade Secrets Law (Boston)
- 2023
Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Labor and Employment (Boston)
- 2022

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