Chapter 1: Introduction to the law of ideas -- Chapter 2: Legal theories of idea protection -- Contract law -- Breach of express contract -- Breach of implied contract -- Unjust enrichment and quasi-contract -- Breach of confidence or confidential relationship -- Misappropriation of property -- Chapter 3: Intellectual property protection and preemption -- Patent law -- Copyright law -- Trademark law -- Trade secret law -- Federal preemption of state law theories of idea protection -- Patent preemption -- Copyright preemption -- Trade secret preemption -- Chapter 4: Requirements for idea protection -- The novelty requirement -- The concreteness requirement -- Chapter 5: Scope of liability for idea theft -- Recipient's use of the idea -- The "Blurt-Out" defense -- The independent development defense -- Chapter 6: Comparative approaches to idea protection -- Protection of ideas under international intellectual property law -- Protection of ideas under national laws -- Chapter 7: Practical aspects of idea submissions -- Idea providers: The nondisclosure agreement -- Idea recipients: The idea submission agreement.

Ideas are the fuel of industry and the entertainment business. Likewise, manufacturers receive suggestions for new products or improvements to existing products, and retailers frequently receive ideas for new marketing campaigns. Many ideas are not new and may be used by anyone without the risk of incurring any legal liability, but some ideas are novel and valuable. If the originator of a potentially useful idea does not have the financial resources to exploit the idea, he or she may submit it to another, with the expectation of receiving compensation if the idea is used. Although an extensive body of intellectual property law exists to protect the rights of inventors, authors, and businesses that own valuable brands or confidential proprietary information, raw ideas receive no protection. Nevertheless, the originator of a potentially useful and marketable idea is not without legal recourse. The courts have developed, through a long line of common law precedents, legal protection for novel and concrete ideas under certain circumstances. The originator of an idea can rely on contract law, whereby the recipient may expressly or impliedly agree to pay for the idea. Alternatively, if the idea is disclosed in confidence, its unauthorized use by the recipient allows the originator of the idea to recover compensation. Finally, some courts have treated the ownership of ideas as quasi-property rights.

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