Virginia Appeals Court Reverses $2 Billion Jury Award to Appian in Trade Secrets Misappropriation Case

In May 2022, a jury in the Circuit Court for Fairfax County, Virginia awarded Appian Corp. (apian) in excess of $2 billion in damages from Pegasystems, Inc. (Pegasystems) for misappropriating Appian’s trade secrets in violation of the Virginia Uniform Trade Secrets Act (VUTSA). This award was the largest damages verdict in Virginia court history, and is among the largest awards in a trade secret case.

But on July 30, 2024, the Court of Appeals of Virginia reversed the judgment of the lower court on the VUTSA claims and remanded for a new trial.