Our Chicago non-compete agreement lawyers have defended physicians, doctors and high level executives in covenant not to compete and trade secret lawsuits. A case in which our firm defended a former Motorola executive was covered in Crain’s Chicago business. You can view that article by clicking here. We…
In the recent case of Cronimet Holdings, Inc. v. Keywell Metals, LLC, No. 14 C 3503, in the federal court for the Northern District of Illinois, the Court dismissed many of the employers’ claims regarding unfair competition by former employees of a company it purchased but who left before the purchase…
In the recent case of Critical Care Systems, Inc. v. Heuer, the Illinois Appellate Court agreed that a non-compete agreement was too broad and thus unenforceable and affirmed the trial court’s refusal to enjoin the employee from joining a competitor of his former employer. The Appellate Court also refused the…
Non-compete agreements were initially intended to keep trade secrets safe. They originated in the tech industry where certain employees have the potential to take highly sensitive information with them when they leave the company. This could be disastrous to the company if employees decide to leave to work for a…
Arkansas has now become a state that permits a court to “blue-penciling” of a non-compete agreement. Governor Asa Hutchinson signed a statute (S.B. 998 or Act 921) permitting courts the flexibility to enforce those portions of a non-competition agreement that are reasonable and to delete overbroad, unenforceable provisions. Arkansas courts…
The Federal Court of Appeals for 8th Circuit —the appeals court for federal district courts in South Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Iowa, and Arkansas —refused to enforce a corporate employer’s non-compete contract. The Parties’ Dispute. The case arose out of the following facts.NanoMech, a Delaware corporation with…
Many clients come to us with misunderstandings with regard to non-compete agreements which are often called covenants not to compete. Some clients believe because an employee signed the agreement it is an iron glad and enforceable agreement no matter how broad and restrictive the terms of the agreement. Some employees…
Legal documents are known for being long and boring. They’re usually good for curing insomnia, but there is a reason for their length and detailed legal language. A good contract should prohibit all undesirable behavior without being too broad. For example, non-compete agreements, which are often included in employment contracts,…
Legit Enough to Quit? Restrictive Covenants and Legitimate Business Interests As means of protecting ones business, it may seem that a restrictive covenant is one of the most secure. However, a restrictive covenant does not always provide the magnitude of protection wanted by those who enter into such an agreement.…
How Long is Long Enough: Substantial Employment Standard for Non-Compete Agreements Non-Compete covenants are among the strongest ways to protect against an employee potentially walking away with vital and, even more importantly, confidential information of the employer. Though it has long been established that timing plays a large role in…