Paterson Non-Compete Agreement

Find the right Non-Compete Agreement attorney in Paterson, NJ

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Generally speaking, in New Jersey, a covenant not to compete means that the employee will agree not to work for any of their employer's competitors upon leaving the company. Such agreements are also known by the term "non-compete clauses". An employee who signs a covenant not to compete may receive compensation for the agreement, or in some cases the agreement is a condition for their being hired.

When are Covenants not to Compete Unenforceable?

Whether or not a judge will conclude that the covenant is enforceable can be difficult to know beforehand. While the employer?s interests are important, New Jersey courts place great importance on an individual?s freedom to pursue the employment they want. Accordingly, courts have only upheld those agreements that they consider reasonable under the circumstances. Covenants not to compete that a court will categorize as unreasonable include provisions that last for a long duration or that restrict the employee to an unreasonable geographic area around Paterson.

The agreements must also deal only with those competitors whose line of employment is rationally related to the previous employer's. Finally, an employer is required to have a valid business reason in its motivation for imposing a covenant not to compete on an employee.

Do I Need an Attorney when Dealing with a Covenant not to Compete?

Before signing anything that may restrict your rights, you may want to hire a Paterson, New Jersey attorney to review the contract. A lawyer can then negotiate to modify the covenant as needed, or may even draft a new one that is acceptable to both parties Employers can receive useful advice from an attorney should they decide to sue a worker for breaching a covenant, and employees who have signed such covenants can also benefit from a lawyer's counseling.

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Life in Paterson

Paterson, New Jersey is the county seat of Passaic County. It has a population of about 147,000 people, making it the third largest city in New Jersey.

Paterson, NJ became known as the "silk city" in the late 19th Century, due to its dominance in the silk-production industry. Paterson, NJ became a major center for other industries in the 20th century, thanks in large part to the presence of the Great Falls, a large waterfall on the Passaic River, which provided much of the energy needed for factories and other heavy industries in Paterson, NJ.

Modernly, Great Falls, NJ is part of an Urban Enterprise Zone, which is a designation under New Jersey Law that stimulates economic growth in areas where it's needed, through reduced sales tax, a fast-track process for obtaining business licenses, and financial incentives, such as tax credits, for businesses that hire new workers. Many Paterson, NJ lawyers were involved in drafting these rules, as well as getting portions of Paterson, NJ designated as such.

Paterson is known for being the residence of Paterson, NJ lawyer Edward Masry, who led the lawsuit against PGE, which was dramatized in the film "Erin Brockovich."

There are many other Paterson, NJ lawyers who can help you with whatever legal issue you may be facing. If you believe that you might need legal representation, there's a very good chance that a Paterson, NJ lawyer can help you.

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