Ex-Tesla Workers Must Face a Circuit Maker’s Trade Secrets Suit

Two former Tesla Inc. employees must face claims they stole trade secrets from CelLink Corp., a circuit board business that worked with the e-vehicle maker, before starting their own firm.

CelLink’s allegations are sufficient to infer that Robert Lane and Augusto Barton misappropriated its proprietary manufacturing processes and are using the same or substantially similar technology to produce their own flexible circuits, Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. ruled Thursday for the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

The duo allegedly used and relied on CelLink’s trade secrets to secure patents for their own company, Manaflex LLC, ...