United States Court of Appeals For the Seventh Circuit ____________________ No. 21‐1649 LIFE SPINE, INC., Plaintiff‐Appellee, v. AEGIS SPINE, INC., Defendant‐Appellant. ____________________

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. No. 19‐cv‐7092 — Young B. Kim, Magistrate Judge. ____________________

ARGUED JULY 21, 2021 — DECIDED AUGUST 9, 2021 ____________________

Before SCUDDER, ST. EVE, and KIRSCH, Circuit Judges. ST. EVE, Circuit Judge. This trade secret case arises from a short‐lived business relationship between two companies that sell spinal implant devices. Life Spine, Inc. makes and sells a spinal implant device called the ProLift Expandable Spacer System. Aegis Spine, Inc. contracted with Life Spine to distrib‐ ute the ProLift to hospitals and surgeons. In the distribution agreement, Aegis promised to protect Life Spine’s confiden‐ tial