Understanding and Enforcing Trade Secrets and Noncompete Agreements
Structural changes in the national and local economies over the last 20 years have significantly altered the way businesses value and prioritize their assets. Now more than ever, the value of an enterprise depends on the security of its proprietary processes, customer lists, intellectual property or continuing relationships with key management, sales or professional employees.
Most companies depend on contracts such as non-compete agreements and confidentiality/non-disclosure covenants to protect their most valuable information. Known collectively as restrictive covenants, these agreements are common features of written employment contracts, consulting arrangements and independent contractor or vendor relationships. Confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements executed in the early stages of a business purchase and sale transaction are also essential to protecting both parties, especially if the deal doesn't go through, as they are at the time that an employee severs ties with an employer armed with knowledge of a company's customers, employees, processes and trade secrets.
Contact the Teiger Law Center, in Alpharetta, Cumming, Canton and Gainesville to learn how the advice of an experienced Atlanta restrictive covenants attorney can benefit you, whether you're an employer, the seller of a business, a departing investor, a professional employee or anyone else who needs protection and certainty with respect to confidential information, competing employment opportunities, non-solicitation and non-disclosure restrictions.
Recent changes in Georgia law have significantly altered the way courts are likely to view noncompete agreements and employment contract clauses. While a constitutional amendment was approved in 2010 to expand the ability of employers to limit the competitive activities of former employees, this area of the law should still be regarded as unsettled until the new law is interpreted by judges in the next few years.
In the meantime, our law firm can review your current non-compete forms, negotiate non-compete terms with new executives or sales personnel, and advise you about your options if you feel that your rights under a current non-compete agreement are threatened or have been violated.
Alpharetta Trade Secrets Attorney: Call 678-807-7456 or 866-726-2153
Tracy Teiger can also advise a company about its ability to control the use of proprietary information in the hands of third parties, ranging from former employees to consultants or prospective investors. He can present your case in court if necessary to prevent or stop the misappropriation or misuse of trade secrets.
For the advice of a lawyer with more than 20 years of business law experience in Greater Atlanta, contact the Teiger Law Center, in Alpharetta, Cumming, Canton and Gainesville.
