The dust from the election is still settling, but it appears likely that President Donald Trump will be the next leader of our nation. With new leadership, often comes a change in laws that can have a direct impact on our economy. When it comes to businesses, one of...
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Employment Contracts
The FTC votes to ban most noncompete agreements
On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by a 3-2 party line vote made a bold move that ended noncompete agreements in all but exceptional cases. These agreements have long prevented workers from moving to rival firms or starting similar businesses for a...
The purpose of a force majeure clause in a contract
Many Illinois contracts contain a force majeure clause. French civil law is the origin of force majeure, but that many jurisdictions worldwide now use the concept. The purpose of force majeure The purpose of force majeure is to relieve certain parties of their...
Non-compete mistakes employers should consider
Non-compete mistakes employers should consider Illinois businesses commonly require their employees or parties from whom they purchased a business to sign non-compete agreements. The contracts help companies protect trade secrets, client lists, and other critical...
Protect your proprietary information with a non-disclosure agreement
There’s a lot that goes into running a successful business. You probably have some sensitive information about your processes, recipes, designs or clients that would ruin or seriously harm your business if it were to fall into the hands of a competitor. With employee...
Business contracts: drafting, negotiating and enforcement is key
Launching and successfully operating a business in the Chicago metro area without clearly drafted contracts presents significant challenges. Business agreements should outline expectations, rights, and duties. Without clear contracts, a company may flounder. Indeed,...
Are noncompetes still enforceable for terminated employees?
Intellectual property can be a substantial liability. That's because many employees often have access to this information. To ensure their most valuable trade secrets are protected, business owners likely enforced noncompete agreements to keep them this data out of...
What makes a noncompete agreement enforceable?
A business’ value lies in keeping a competitive edge. Whether you have trade secrets, valuable clients, or both, you don’t want a former employee to let your competitors know why you’re successful. To protect your company, you may have your employees sign noncompete...