Ms. Dorothy Rogers owned a hair salon in Higganum, Connecticut called Dotties Creative Cuts and entered into an agreement to sell the company’s “assets, goodwill, and client lists” to Kim’s Hair Studio, LLC for the amount of $20,000. This transaction essentially made Ms. Rogers a new employee of Kim’s hair Studio and as such, she was required to sign a non-compete agreement that prohibited her from offering competing services for twelve months after her termination within ten miles of 323 Saybrook Road, the primary work location of Kim’s Hair Studio.
The parties executed non-compete and confidentiality agreements on August 23, 2004. Ms. Rogers did not like how the salon was being run by the company’s management and voluntarily terminated her employment in order to work at a new hair salon that was located a mere one-half mile away. Ms. Rogers additionally removed a rolodex containing Kim’s Hair Studio’s client information and began to contact them to solicit their business. Kim’s Hair Studio sued Ms. Rogers and requested that the court enforce the non-compete and confidentiality agreements.
The Court’s Decision
The court granted the request for an injunction and ordered the enforcement of the agreements’ provisions. It concluded that the restrictions were reasonable in scope and that Ms. Rogers’ action had amounted to a breach of the covenant between the two parties. Kim’s Hair Studio had legitimate interests in executing non-compete agreements with its employees because its goodwill and client clients were essential assets that Kim’s Hair Studio invested resources in to acquire and maintain. The restrictive covenants were designed to prevent the loss or infringement of these assets and ensure that Kim’s Hair Studio was not negatively affected due to an employee’s termination, whether voluntary or involuntary in nature.
The court reasoned that a party is entitled to an injunction restraining further breach of a restrictive covenant when it demonstrates that the other party has or is very likely to breach the agreement. Additionally, the court noted Connecticut courts’ willingness to enforce a non-compete agreement when it is made in connection with the sale of a company and its goodwill. These legal principles, in conjunction with reasonable and limited restrictions, allowed the court to conclude that the non-compete agreement between Ms. Rogers and Kim’s Hair Studio was valid and enforceable under Connecticut law.
–
The lawyers at Maya Murphy, P.C., are experienced and knowledgeable employment and corporate law practitioners and assist clients in New York, Bridgeport, Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Westport, and elsewhere in Fairfield County. If you have any questions relating to your non-compete agreement or would like to discuss any element of your employment agreement, please contact Joseph C. Maya, Esq. by phone at (203) 221-3100 or via e-mail at JMaya@Mayalaw.com.