Former Touro University administrator Edward F. Farkas, a dentist who helped Touro create, develop and run a new dental school, has been accused of misappropriating trade secrets to help a direct competitor.
Touro University sued Dr. Farkas on Jan. 5 in U.S. District Court, White Plains, under the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act.
“Touro brings this action to prevent further disclosure of its trade secrets and confidential information,” the complaint states, “and to prevent irreparable injury.”
“Dr. Farkas denies the allegations,” Manhattan attorney Gary S. Snitow said in an email, “but can’t comment further in view of the ongoing litigation.”
When Touro College of Dental Medicine opened in 2016 on the campus of New York Medical College, in Hawthorne, it was the first dental school in the nation to run under Jewish auspices, the complaint states. It has since graduated more than 440 students.
Farkas played a key role in creating the school, according to the complaint. He has held senior administrative positions, most recently as a vice dean, and had access and control of confidential information.
Touro claims that its trade secrets are particularly valuable because they include methods and concepts that enabled it to quickly create a new dental school and achieve accreditation.
“Indeed, Touro has developed … a scalable, repeatable and sustainable method and formula for opening institutions of higher education in a uniquely efficient manner, particularly in the area of health sciences,” the complaint states.
Farkas began downloading confidential information to a personal device in July 2023, Touro claims, and this past fall he approached Yeshiva University, New York, regarding its desire to start a dental school.
On Dec. 4, he spoke briefly with Touro University president Alan Kadish and mentioned that he would be resigning, according to the complaint.
On Dec. 6, he told Dr. Kadish that he had signed an employment agreement to be the founding dean of a new dental school.
During those three days, Touro charges, Farkas downloaded 4,962 files that would enable a competitor to quickly open a new dental school and gain a competitive advantage against Touro.
Touro fired Farkas on Dec. 28.
Touro is demanding that Farkas and anyone acting with him be stopped from possessing, using or disclosing the college’s secrets; that any such information he has be destroyed; and that he pay unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
On Jan. 9, U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel issued a temporary restraining order, to which Farkas consented, disallowing him from accessing or disseminating Touro’s files while the parties try to negotiate a settlement.
Touro is represented by Manhattan attorney Janice Sued Agresti and Pittsburgh attorney Mariah S. Passarelli.
