Confidentiality Clauses and Competition Law

Obtaining new clients and customers for your business is hard enough without the added worry they could be poached by a competitor. At a time when a growing number of staff are looking to change employer or become self-employed, businesses must take steps to protect themselves against potential damage from a former employee.

As a business you may have commercially sensitive information you wish to keep from your competitors. You may wish to prevent your former employees from acting in competition, dealing with customers or soliciting the business of your clients. It is possible to properly protect your legitimate business interests by incorporating reasonable terms in a contract or confidentiality agreement. To be effective, the contract or agreement must be clear, unambiguous and go no further than is necessary to protect your business. We can draft your contracts and confidentiality agreements to give you the best protection the law can offer.

If you wish to enforce the restrictions or if you have a new employee who is threatened with proceedings by their previous employer, it is important that legal advice is obtained as early as possible. We recognise the need to act quickly and commercially in these situations and will advise you on how to get the best solution for your business.

If you need to enforce a contract against a former employee or are being threatened with proceedings, it is important you obtain our specialist legal advice as early as possible. Our employment solicitors regularly advise businesses on enforcing and defending proceedings in the County Court and High Court.

If you wish to obtain the advice our specialist employment solicitors and HR professionals to help you understand your employment and advice you on your legal position, please contact us or complete the enquiry form. You can also use the enquiry form to request a call back from one our experts.