Legal Question in Employment Law in California

I used to work for a tech company. I quit the job & open my own business that basically provides the same service as the company. The company is threatting to sue me for intellectual property, though I'm not using their codes at all. Should I be afraid, and What should I do?

thanks,


Asked on 2/11/11, 2:23 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Kirschbaum Law Offices of Michael R. Kirschbaum

Sometimes, these kind of threats are made in an attempt to intimidate former employees into not competing with them or to refrain from using information obtained through the employment relationship. Some companies take it a step further and file lawsuits against the former employee, if they believe the employee is using proprietary information.

You should consult with an attorney, in your area, who is knowledgeable about trade secret and employment law, to get an informed opinion on what can or cannot be used by your business, and how to respond to your former employer in an effort to avoid costly litigation.

A good source for finding a local attorney is through the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), which can be found at www.cela.org.

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Answered on 2/11/11, 2:38 pm


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