Integral Development Corp. v. Weissenbach

In Integral Development Corp. v. Weissenbach (2002) 99 Cal.App.4th 576, the plaintiff, a California corporation, hired the defendant, a German citizen, to manage its German subsidiary. The defendant traveled to California to sign the contract, and later to attend a business meeting. The defendant also reported to a supervisor in California and communicated regularly with the plaintiff's employees in California. In addition, the defendant's benefits were governed by California law. The plaintiff brought an action against the defendant for misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duty, intentional interference with economic advantage, conversion, and trade libel. The Court held that the defendant's intentional tortious conduct, which was aimed at a California corporation, provided a reasonable basis for the assertion of jurisdiction.