The FTC just made clear that while the nationwide noncompete ban is dead, the agency is not backing down. Employers, particularly in healthcare, are officially on notice. TL;DR: The FTC, led by Chairman Andrew Ferguson, is shifting to case-by-case enforcement. The agency has begun sending warning letters to healthcare…
Articles Posted in Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants
A Eulogy: “Noncompete Rule, We Hardly Knew Ye”
It promised freedom, delivered litigation, and left us with… state law. Friends, colleagues, HR professionals, lend me your ears. We gather today to mourn the passing of the Noncompete Rule, a sweeping reform that promised to free 30 million American workers from contractual shackles but instead met its end in…
Employers, Take Note: A New FTC Noncompete Inquiry Could Shape Compliance
The Federal Trade Commission isn’t finished with noncompetes. It is gathering information to understand when these agreements cause real harm and when they may serve legitimate business purposes. Case in point: its latest enforcement action against an employer that allegedly relied on broad, boilerplate restrictions. TL;DR: The FTC has launched…
🚨 The Supreme Court Just Took Aim at Nationwide Injunctions. Could the FTC’s Noncompete Rule Rise from the Dead?
Most people didn’t connect the dots between last week’s Supreme Court decision in Trump v. CASA and the FTC’s ban on noncompetes. But maybe they should. The Court’s ruling didn’t mention employment law. It didn’t say a word about the FTC. But it did take a wrecking ball to the…
What Delaware’s Latest Decision Teaches About Drafting Enforceable Noncompetes and Nonsolicits
Noncompetes are under pressure. Federal regulators have wanted to ban them. States like California, Minnesota, and Oklahoma already have. And even where they remain technically legal, courts are increasingly skeptical—especially when the restrictions go further than necessary. Because a large part of my practice involves reviewing employment and equity agreements…
🎤 “Star Treatment, Solid Contracts” – Happening Today at Noon!
Whether you’re drafting agreements for a C-suite hire, a high-profile consultant, or a VIP client, there are legal landmines everywhere—from misclassification to IP disputes. Today, we’re tackling them all. TL;DR: Join me and attorney Merlyne Jean-Louis for a free Zoom session at 12 PM ET today—Friday, May 9, 2025—as we…
🎤 Upcoming Event: Star Treatment, Solid Contracts: Navigating the VIP Employment Landscape
Working with VIPs can feel like walking a legal tightrope. From influencers to high-profile executives, businesses often face big questions: Are they independent contractors or employees? What must go into their agreements? And how do you protect your intellectual property—and avoid legal headaches? On May 9 at 12 PM ET,…
FTC’s Non-Compete Ban: Have We Reached A U-Turn or Just a Detour?
As Tom Petty once sang, “The waiting is the hardest part.” Employers waiting on the uncertain fate of the Federal Trade Commission’s non-compete rule can relate. With the initial sweeping ban announced in 2024 and legal challenges that followed, many businesses have been left wondering how to structure their workforce…
Join me and my friends on Wednesday, December 11 for HR Festivus. (And it’s free)
At Noon ET, Amy Epstein Gluck, Michael Elkins, and I will present “What the Legal Landscape Looks Like for 2025.” Come hang with us for an hour while we cover key legal updates for 2025. Our friends at HR Learns, who are hosting this event, have pre-approved our sesh for…
Think the FTC is done taking on restrictive covenants? Think again!
Yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it had ordered a building services contractor to stop enforcing a no-hire agreement. The agreement purportedly prohibited building owners and managers from hiring the contractor’s employees. Some of you are probably thinking that you read somewhere—possibly here—that a federal court enjoined the FTC’s sweeping…