A Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly article posted on March 2, 2016, features Russell Beck in a story titled “House to pursue compromise on non-competes.”
The article reports on Massachusetts Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo’s announcement of a proposal for significant changes to Massachusetts noncompete law.
The article cites Representative Lori Ehrlich’s efforts to reform noncompete law in the Commonwealth:
Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, who has been working for more than seven years to get non-compete-reform legislation passed, said she is “thrilled” the speaker has made the issue a priority for economic development in Massachusetts.
“The details he laid out will go far to help thousands of employees in the commonwealth and foster growth in our innovation economy,” Ehrlich said. “I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and digging into those details.”
Russell Beck is then quoted as follows:
Among those details, said Boston attorney Russell Beck, are what it means to be “low wage,” what is involved with the stated right to counsel and the extent of advance notice that will be required to be provided.
Beck, who drafted Ehrlich’s first non-compete bill in December 2008, agreed that the speaker “chose some very important aspects of non-competes to address,” calling the announcement a “very positive development in the protection of our more vulnerable employees.”
Though the 12-month limit on the term of non-competes may not be as aggressive as some proponents of reform may have liked, Beck noted that many companies currently have 18-month and two-year agreements.
For now, Beck said that his fellow practitioners need to monitor whether Beacon Hill decides to act before the legislative session adjourns this summer and then assess what kinds of changes need to be made to employment contracts, not just with respect to non-compete agreements but other terms, such as non-disclosure and non-solicitation clauses, which address similar concerns regarding departing employees.
The article is by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s reporter, Kris Olson.
For up-to-the-minute analysis of legal issues concerning noncompete agreements in Massachusetts and across the United States, read Russell Beck’s blog, Fair Competition Law.
is among the leading authorities in trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition law, and our experience handling these matters is backed by our extensive employment law and business litigation experience. Our hand-picked team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience. The Wall Street Journal featured Beck Reed Riden LLP’s noncompete agreement experience.
Russell Beck’s work in this area is well recognized; it includes:
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Over sixteen years of working on trade secret, noncompete, and unfair competition matters
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Authoring the book Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (5th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2015), used by other lawyers to help them with their noncompete cases
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Drafting and advising on legislation for the Massachusetts Legislature to define, codify, and improve noncompetition law
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Teaching Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law
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Founding and administrating the award-winning blog, Fair Competition Law
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Establishing and administrating the Noncompete Lawyers and Trade Secret Protection groups on LinkedIn, with over 750 members around the world
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Founded and chaired the Trade Secret / Noncompete Practice for an AmLaw 100 firm
In addition, Russell was honored for his work in this area of law in the 2014 Chambers USA Guide, which explained that “Russell Beck of Beck Reed Riden LLP specializes in noncompete litigation and is a trade secrets expert. He comes highly recommended by his peers for his nationwide practice in this niche. ‘He’s fantastic,’ sources say.”
Beck Reed Riden LLP is Boston’s innovative litigation boutique. Our lawyers have years of experience at large law firms, working with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation and labor and employment. We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and help you. Read more about us, the types of matters we handle, and what we can do for you here.