Hmm I wrote this article ages ago, but apparently never posted it (insert apologies for neglecting my blog here). Here's another tasty morsel from my Intellectual Property class:
Non-Compete Clauses
Often when you work as a contractor, or even sometimes as a full-time employee, companies include non-compete clauses or agreements in the paperwork you have to sign. A Non-Compete basically says, "if you leave this company you cannot go to work for one of our competitors." But did you know that it's extremely difficult to enforce a Non-Compete? Courts don't like to enforce them because they put people out of work, thus taking away their livelihood. In order to successfully enforce a Non-Compete, Company A must be able to prove that the employee is giving Company B, their competitor, Company A's trade secrets. Just the desire to avoid competition is not enough to put your ex-employees out of work.
P.S. Just like before, please note that this information applies to United States law. Would love to hear how this works in other parts of the world!
