With consolidation looming large in health care, tech, social media, internet platform providers, and other industries, non-compete agreements are receiving renewed scrutiny at the political and regulatory levels. This renewed scrutiny coincides with recent bad press concerning some national employers’ injudicious uses of non-competes to restrict low-wage and rank-and-file employees.  President Biden has now Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic and its shadow continue to loom over businesses, supply chains, and more. The true scope of the challenges and changes imposed by COVID-19 continues to be learned as the economy and society adjust. But one immediate consequence is known: for the first time in a long time, businesses are having to seriously read and implement force majeure clauses to determine their respective rights and defenses Read More

As the unique state of the current labor market shows, high unemployment does not translate into less intensive recruiting and interviewing practices. Special care should be taken at every stage of the hiring process to establish legally compliant systems that produce top-tier prospects. Below, Baker Jenner provides four important considerations for businesses aiming to add talent. 1. Legal compliance starts Read More

There are infinite pathways to “yes”, but not all of them are worth pursuing in your deal. Due diligence is the key to executing effective negotiations; the communication between your team and the other side in, say, a merger, acquisition, R&D contract, consulting contract, or other type of contract can be thought of as the portion of the iceberg visible to those above the surface. As we all know, the “invisible” Read More

Now that millions of COVID-19 vaccines are getting into arms each day, more employers are feeling comfortable with reopening physical workspaces. With the reopening of offices, though, comes an assortment of legal and practical considerations. In any context, proactive communication and clear expectation setting can help grease the wheels for a smooth return to normality. There is one question on many employers’ Read More

Participating in an increasingly globalized and competitive marketplace underscores the importance of companies’ having effective restrictive covenants. While there are several types of restrictive covenants, this blog will focus on employee (including executive) non-compete agreements. Due to their more onerous nature, non-competes traditionally introduce a number of challenges, both for the company seeking one and Read More

In our knowledge-based economy, intellectual property is indispensable to businesses of all sizes in virtually every industry. And much, if not most, of that intellectual property derives substantial value from not being generally known. But unlike other asset classes, intellectual property is highly vulnerable. As a mind-based resource that can be popped onto a thumb drive or added as an attachment to a quick, Read More