Texas Non-Compete Lawyers
Legal Counsel for Non-Compete & Nondisclosure Agreements
At Lyons & Simmons, we represent employers, current employees, and former employees in disputes involving unfair competition, restrictive covenants, trade secrets, nondisclosure, and confidentiality agreements. Working with a Dallas employment lawyer who provides representation to both plaintiffs and defendants can work to your advantage in such circumstances.
The team of Texas non-compete lawyers at Lyons & Simmons is intimately familiar with all aspects of laws regarding employment contracts and other legal agreements between employers and employees. Because we understand both sides of such disputes, we are able to provide insightful and effective counsel to our clients.
What is a Non-Compete Agreement?
When you take a new job at a different company, you will likely be asked to sign several different documents, one of which may be a non-compete agreement. Employers use non-compete agreements to protect their interests, keeping their employees from working for or becoming one of their competitors.
Non-compete agreements are legally binding contracts drawn up between the employer and employee. The contract asks the employee to agree not to enter into competition with the employer after he or she leaves the company. These agreements can go into effect whether the employee is terminated or leaves their position voluntarily.
Who Benefits from a Non-Compete Agreement?
- Usually, non-compete agreements work to protect the interests of the employer. These employment documents are used to safeguard trade secrets and innovations the employee may have been privy to during his or her time working for that company.
Does My Company Need a Non-Compete Agreement?
- As an employer, creating a non-compete agreement for your employees to sign could be extremely beneficial. Non-compete agreements can protect sensitive information, prevent your employees from becoming competitors later on, and can also encourage goodwill during and after their employment at your company. However, courts don’t always favor non-compete agreements because they can limit the individual’s earning potential. So, if you establish a non-compete agreement for your employees, it is important that you do so carefully and with extreme attention to detail. It is always best to work with an experienced employment law attorney on this.
Should I Sign a Non-Compete Agreement as an Employee?
- Non-compete agreements aren’t always a good idea from the employee’s perspective, as it could limit their employment choices later on. However, it could still be a good idea to sign the non-compete agreement if the employee is passionate about the job they’d be taking and if the agreement offers additional benefits. Legally speaking, the employer must offer adequate benefits in order for the employee to see the benefit in signing the non-compete agreement. For new employees might be offered the benefit of joining their employment if they sign the agreement, whereas existing employees who are asked to sign might need actual compensation in some other capacity, such as a promotion.
Resolving Complex Non-Compete & Nondisclosure Disputes
Our Texas nondisclosure attorneys not only draft non-competition covenants, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements, which are also designed to protect our clients’ intellectual property and trade secrets, we also litigate and try these types of lawsuits for employers and employees. The firm frequently advises clients on how to best handle hiring and firing decisions and measures to avoid being sued for tortious interference.
When causes of action are created that involve the alleged improper disclosure of confidential information and trade secrets, or violations of non-competition covenants, our non-compete attorneys in Dallas are effective and skilled advocates who can quickly advise clients and put a strategy in place that either minimizes risk or maximizes any potential recovery.
Don't wait to set up your FREE consultation! Call our Dallas employment law firm at (844) 297-8898 to discuss your non-compete case.