Jump Trading, a cryptocurrency firm, has initiated legal action against a former software engineer, Liam Heeger, over allegations of breaching non-competition clauses and misappropriating intellectual property for the purposes of establishing a rival business. The lawsuit was filed on January 21 in a federal court located in Chicago, where Jump claims Heeger has violated his contractual obligations by engaging in a venture that directly competes with their operations.
Heeger previously served as a lead software engineer on a significant blockchain initiative known as Firedancer at Jump. His tenure at the firm lasted from February 2023 until his resignation on November 11, 2024. During this time, he contributed to various aspects of blockchain development, including analysis, design, and code optimization. Following his departure, Heeger announced on social media that he intended to launch a new enterprise named Unto Labs, aimed at developing an advanced layer-1 blockchain.
The lawsuit charges that Heeger had access to sensitive and proprietary information during his time at Jump, including strategic plans, blockchain models, unreleased codebases, and software tools. Jump maintains that the confidentiality of its intellectual property is essential for maintaining profitability in the competitive blockchain arena. The firm asserts that Heeger has utilized confidential information obtained during his employment at Jump to benefit his new venture while undermining the company’s interests.
Furthermore, Jump alleged that Heeger began work on his new project while still an employee and was actively seeking funding for it shortly after leaving the firm. It claims he secured $3 million in financing at a $50 million valuation within just a month of his departure and engaged with venture capitalists at a conference in Singapore while still employed. Jump is seeking a court order to enforce the non-competition agreement and recover any intellectual property that Heeger may possess.
