Legal Question in Employment Law in Iowa

I have recieved a cease and desist order from a past employer. At the time I left I communicated that I was gong to work for a like business. They acknowledged that several of my clients would follow me and even released one from a contract to allow them to do so and provided myself and the client with a release. Now they are struggling and they have sent me a letter to cease working with any and all clients, accusing of taking trade secrets (?) saying that I am hurting thier business as my sales materials too closely resemble theirs. They are also cllaiming that I misrepresented to a new client of mine that I was still in there employ. I was in their employ when I met this client. I have my own logo, business cards and other items that do not come close to theirs. They claim that my proposals are the same and they may be close as I wrote both. I do not have a non-compete. But they want all my back wages from when I gave notice. Can they do this and do they have a case?


Asked on 9/24/11, 6:07 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert Luedeman solo practitioner

If there's no non compete agreement in place they more or less cannot tell you what to do with what you carried out inside your head. I suspect what you got was a nastygram from somebody in the company. You owe them nothing. However they may sue you. I suggest you hire an attorney to tell them that they've got no basis for their demands. Things go better with lawyers.

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Answered on 9/27/11, 7:49 am


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