Remote workforce management platform Deel has sued the Irish government in an Irish court. They’re suing competitor Rippling and demanding it disclose evidence of a non-existent espionage conspiracy. This arms race went nuclear when Rippling filed a lawsuit against its competitor Deel in March. They claim Deel stole trade secrets, committed tortious interference, and acted in unfair competition—with a heavy emphasis on the claims of spying.
In its motion, Deel pointed to an affidavit filed by Vanessa Wu, Rippling’s ex-general counsel. Wu’s testimony goes into detail on each of the instances of the alleged spying. It further chronicles the many miscommunications and misunderstandings between the legal counsels of each company. Deel’s request is particularly targeted at the original unredacted versions of those same witness affidavits. This includes an affidavit from Keith O’Brien, who was recently fired from his job at Rippling.
Rippling fired O’Brien and settled a lawsuit he brought against them with an undisclosed amount. In exchange, O’Brien promised not to file any lawsuit against the corporation. The termination fee is a result of protracted animosity between the two companies. Deel is particularly excited to understand the context and implications of these accords.
The claims that Rippling has levied against Deel are complex and consequential. Specifically, they claim that by providing companies access to Deel’s extensive databases on workers, Deel has harmed fair competition and trade secret laws. The claims have escalated tensions across the industry and opened a huge legal can of worms.
Vanessa Wu’s affidavit, filed in the late spring, has emerged as a critical document in the ongoing legal tussle. It details several of these supposedly improper acts in the alleged espionage and gives insight into Rippling’s internal communications during these times.
Wu’s affidavit stated that Rippling had promised to back up O’Brien financially in these legal proceedings.
“agreed to contribute towards Mr. O’Brien’s costs of these proceedings and to pay his reasonable out of pocket and legal expenses in connection with the cooperation to be provided under that agreement.” – Vanessa Wu’s affidavit (source: techcrunch.com)
This case has caught the limelight due to its ramifications for both companies. Slack’s role as an important whistleblower has contributed to the intrigue. As their battle plays out, Deel and Rippling are going to be the ones under scrutiny. They will put all to industry’s unlimited resources and actively fight their very serious charges.
For its part, Deel has categorically rejected any wrongdoing in relation to the allegations that have been leveled against it. This legal battle has far-reaching implications on the future of the tech ecosystem. Most significantly, it will impact companies that manufacture remote work technology.