Jury Awards Hallmark $31M in Trade Dispute

November 21, 2012

A federal jury has awarded Kansas City, Mo., greeting cards giant Hallmark Cards Inc. $31.3 million in damages from a company that misappropriated inside information.

The Kansas City Star reports the ruling came after a two-year trial that capped seven years of dispute between Hallmark and Monitor Clipper Partners.

Hallmark hired Monitor Company Group of Massachusetts in 2001 to help redesign Hallmark’s business model. Four years later sister company Monitor Clipper Partners said it was acquiring a Hallmark competitor, Recycled Paper Greetings Inc.

An arbiter ruled in 2007 that Monitor Company Group had breached its confidentiality agreement, and the company agreed to pay Hallmark $12.5 million for breach of contract.

The award for misappropriation of trade secrets is the final lawsuit in the dispute.

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