News & Analysis as of

Contract Terms Non-Compete Agreements Breach of Contract

Morgan Lewis - Tech & Sourcing

Radius Clauses in Music Performance Contracts

As the summer 2025 concert season continues to ramp up, we want to take the opportunity to explain why your favorite band or artist might only be performing once in your region this summer: a radius clause....more

Jenner & Block

Delaware Supreme Court Reaffirms Reluctance to Blue-Pencil Overbroad Restrictive Covenants in Sunder v. Jackson

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The Delaware Supreme Court’s decision in Sunder Energy, LLV v. Jackson, No. 455, 2023, 2024 Del. LEXIS 407 (December 10, 2024) reaffirmed the courts’ limited willingness to modify or “blue-pencil” overbroad restrictive...more

Epstein Becker & Green

Massachusetts High Court To Weigh In on Forfeiture-for-Solicitation Provisions in Era of Massachusetts Noncompetition Agreement...

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On Monday, March 3, 2025, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) heard argument in Miele v. Foundation Medicine, Inc., regarding whether the Massachusetts Noncompetition Agreement Act, G. L. c. 149, § 24L (the...more

Lathrop GPM

Minnesota Federal Court Grants Franchisor’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction for Noncompete and Lanham Act Violations by...

Lathrop GPM on

A federal court in Minnesota recently granted franchisor Snap Fitness Inc.’s motion for preliminary injunction against an out-of-state franchisee that announced its intentions to open a competing gym during the term of the...more

WilmerHale

Beating the Odds: First Circuit Doubles Down on Massachusetts Decision Enforcing Noncompete Against Sports Betting Executive Newly...

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Against a growing trend of legislation and broader efforts seeking to limit or eliminate post-employment noncompetition restrictions, recent Massachusetts and First Circuit decisions in a dispute between DraftKings and one of...more

Lathrop GPM

Michigan Precedent on Michigan Franchise Investment Law Held to Trump Inconsistent Sixth Circuit Precedent on Private Right of...

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A federal court in Michigan recently granted several related franchisors’ motions to dismiss a franchisee’s claims for violations of the Michigan Franchise Investment law. Benjamin Franklin Franchising SPE LLC v. David...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Unpacking the (Un)Reasonableness of Non-Compete Provisions

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

New York law generally does not favor non-compete agreements, viewing them as unreasonable restraint of trade. As a result, New York courts apply a rigorous standard when deciding whether to enforce these restrictive...more

Lathrop GPM

After Bench Trial, Texas Federal Court Finds No Breach of Noncompete for Selling Competing Product

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A federal court in Texas has denied Penthol’s claim for breach of contract against Vertex Energy for the improper sale of competing products in violation of noncompete clause. Penthol, LLC v. Vertex Energy Operating, LLC,...more

Lathrop GPM

Washington Federal Court Grants, In Part, Distributor’s Motion to Dismiss Claim for Breach of a Noncompete Provision and Related...

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A federal court in Washington recently granted in part and denied in part a former distributor’s partial motion to dismiss claims for breach of a post-termination noncompete agreement, breach of the implied duty of good faith...more

BakerHostetler

Delaware Supreme Court Settles Forfeiture-for-Competition Question, Adopts Employee Choice Doctrine - Seventh Circuit Asks, ‘Are...

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Less than two months after the Delaware Supreme Court provided the employers, investment partners and other business leaders that trust in the stability of Delaware law to protect their critical business interests with the...more

Paul Hastings LLP

Delaware Supreme Court Rejects “Reasonableness” Test for Forfeiture-for- Competition Provisions

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Last week, the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a Chancery Court decision that we wrote about previously, which invalidated a forfeiture-for-competition provision as an unreasonable restraint of trade. The Ainslie et al. v....more

Morris James LLP

Chancery Finds Non-Compete Unenforceable by Subsidiaries Unless Identified in Agreement

Morris James LLP on

Frontline Techs. Parent, LLC v. Murphy, C.A. No. 2023-0546-LWW (Del. Ch. Aug. 23, 2023) - This non-compete decision reminds drafters to pay careful attention to scope and definitions, in particular language covering the...more

Lathrop GPM

Virginia Federal Court Denies Franchisor’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction

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A federal court in Virginia denied a franchisor’s motion for preliminary injunction against a former franchisee violating the franchise agreement’s post-termination noncompete. JTH Tax, LLC v. Younan, 2023 WL 6304865 (E.D....more

Bennett Jones LLP

The High Cost of Cost Indemnification: A Warning

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A contractual indemnification can require the losing party in a lawsuit to pay the winning  party's full legal costs, the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench recently confirmed in Ruel v Rebonne, 2022 ABQB 486 [Ruel]. While courts...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

Unintended Consequences of Franchise Rescission Rights

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The right to rescind (or void) a contract is an extraordinary remedy. However, as franchise lawyers know, certain states provide franchisees a right to rescind a franchise agreement in certain situations, particularly where a...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Wyoming Supreme Court Eliminates the Blue Pencil Rule for Noncompete Agreements

On February 25, 2022, the Wyoming Supreme Court issued a decision prohibiting courts from revising, or “blue penciling,” noncompete agreements to be reasonable and enforceable under the law. The decision overrules the Wyoming...more

Stokes Wagner

What Are The Limits Of A Court’s Ability To Enforce A Non-Compete Agreement?

Stokes Wagner on

The parties in the case of Daneshgari v. Patriot Towing Services, LLC, No. A21A0887 (Ga.App. Oct. 21, 2021), had entered into a four-year non-compete agreement in June of 2016 that Daneshgari and his partner began to violate...more

BCLP

Colorado Law May Govern Noncompete Despite Choice-Of-Law Provision

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Colorado law is not particularly friendly to noncompete agreements. A Colorado statute prohibits all such agreements unless they fall within one of four specific exemptions....more

Lathrop GPM

The Franchise Memorandum - Issue # 267

Lathrop GPM on

Welcome to The Franchise Memorandum by Lathrop GPM. Below are summaries of recent legal developments of interest to franchisors. Missouri Federal Court Holds Franchisor Controls Sufficient to Survive Motion to Dismiss...more

Womble Bond Dickinson

Limiting Access to Non-Specialized Suppliers Can Be a Legitimate Business Interest

Womble Bond Dickinson on

Where a business’ non-compete employment agreement precluded its former employee from contacting its suppliers, such restriction could constitute a legitimate business interest. KNC Technologies v. Tutton, 2021 NCBC 25 (J....more

A&O Shearman

No damages if proven breach is not an effective cause of loss: “bitter truth” for innocent parties

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In determining whether a breach of contract operates as an effective cause of the loss claimed, the court must apply “common sense”. Although there is a “moral asymmetry” where one party is at fault and the other an innocent...more

Lathrop GPM

The Franchise Memorandum - Issue # 259

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Colorado Federal Court Applies Forum Selection Clause to Non-Signatory Entities Controlled by Former Franchisees - A federal court in Colorado held that entities controlled by former franchisees were bound by the forum...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Fettucine Al Fraudo—New York Pizzaiolo in Hot Water After Alleged Theft of Secret Pasta Recipe

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Manhattan restaurant Sottolio, Inc., d/b/a Norma Gastronomia Siciliana hired Giuseppe Manco—“a noted Italian pizza chef, or pizzaiolo”—to consult on its menu. At the same time, Manco and his wife purchased a 9% interest in...more

Carlton Fields

New York Court Compels Arbitration of Commercial Marijuana Dispute

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The defendants moved to compel arbitration of a complex dispute concerning the parties’ investment in medical marijuana companies. The plaintiff claimed that the defendants breached a non-compete agreement and fiduciary...more

FordHarrison

Non-Compete News: – Georgia Court Interprets Non-Compete Statute's "Sale-of-a-Business" Provision

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Georgia’s Restrictive Covenants Act (O.C.G.A. § 13-8-50 et seq.) (“RCA”) governs Georgia non-compete agreements entered into after May 2011. Very few courts have interpreted the RCA since its inception. In Bearoff v. Craton,...more

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