I've been trying to resolve this on my own but I'm stuck.
former employee took trade secrets. I've been dealing with this for about 13 months now and the situation isn't improving.
What's the typical outcome in situations like this?
I've dealt with this before.
The trap most people fall into is escalating to a supervisor/manager. I'd recommend following the formal complaint procedure instead.
A cease and desist letter is usually the first step. Many situations resolve at that stage.
Make sure you have evidence of ownership before sending any letters.
Have you documented the creation date and your original work? That's key for any IP claim.