Sadly, Joan Rivers ? the famous comedienne who was perhaps best known for sitting down with celebrities and asking “can we talk?” ? died recently at the age of 81. Ms. Rivers’ self-deprecating nature and ability to use laughter to put people either at ease or to otherwise coerce them to divulge information often resulted in her getting the scoop. This unique ability allowed her to remain popular and visible for decades. And how, you might ask, does Ms. Rivers’ story relate at all to Florida non-competition agreements? To borrow a phrase: let’s talk.

If you have followed this blog (or merely happened upon it through an internet search) you likely already know that under Florida law the legal bases for non-competition agreements are found in the statutes under the name “Valid Restraints of Trade.” After all, that is exactly what a non-competition agreement does: it restricts, for a defined period, a former employee from working in a field that might compete with the former employer. The result is a “restraint of trade,” which is to say an obvious restriction on the future employment of the former employee. If drafted properly, a non-competition agreement is legally enforceable against the former employee. The question is: Does it always make sense for a company to litigate a potential violation of an otherwise valid non-competition agreement?

This is certainly a topic worthy of serious discussion. Courts strictly enforce non-competition agreements. When interpreting any ambiguities within these agreements, courts are also compelled to reach an interpretation that favors the former employee’s right to unrestricted work. This is an important factor to consider, because almost all non-competition agreements include a provision for the prevailing party in any enforcement action to have the losing party pay its attorneys’ fees and costs. As a result, what might look like a very strong case for a company against a former employee for violation of a non-competition agreement can turn into a prolonged and expensive battle over potential ambiguities in the agreement.

And now the benefit of talking: Ask yourself why your company wanted its employees to execute a written non-competition agreement. Did the employee’s potential departure pose a unique business risk to your company? Ask yourself what exactly it is you want to protect. Is there a specific trade secret at risk? Is there a client relationship at risk? If the overarching reason for the non-competition agreement is a client relationship, then consider whether the client will react positively to knowledge that your company initiated an action to enforce its non-competition agreement, thus potentially keeping the client from working with someone familiar? Once you answer these and any other relevant questions regarding the need and origin of your non-competition agreement, ask yourself one more. Ask yourself: “What is in the best interests of my company right now?” If, after consulting with your legal counsel and the company decision-makers, you remain confident that the best strategy is to quickly file an enforcement action, then the best thing to do is to secure competent counsel and to work with counsel to immediately set a company budget line-item specifically intended to fund the effort. On the other hand, sometimes the best thing about having your employees execute a valid non-competition agreement is your ability to negotiate a reasonable pay-out at the time of the employee’s departure. If you decide to negotiate instead of seeking to enforce, then the manner in which your company can benefit is often limitless. This is also the time when you can exercise an extreme amount of corporate creativity. Will a simple cash pay-out accommodate whatever pecuniary loss your company anticipates with the employee’s departure? Will your company benefit from entering into a joint venture agreement with the departing employee (presumably on favorable terms)? Is there a realistic opportunity to protect existing client relationships in the absence of the former employee? What is the value to the former employee to continue to work with your company’s (otherwise restricted) clients and contacts? In other words, talk it out within the company. You might discover that early interventional negotiation you will better serve the company’s overall goals than an often-unpredictable legal battle.

And so, back to Joan Rivers, sometimes it’s best to ask: “Can we talk?” Litigating a non-competition claim certainly sends a message to all departing employees that the company is willing to seek strict enforcement of its employer/employee agreements. It’s just not always your company’s best legal strategy.

This blog ends, like most others in this series, with some advice. When it comes to a decision of how to enforce a non-competition agreement, to drafting an enforceable non-competition agreement, or to litigating over the validity of a non-competition agreement, it’s necessary to arm your company with competent legal counsel experienced in these matters. At Burr & Forman we have experienced attorneys throughout the Southeast ready to address your questions and concerns.