Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Forfeiture-for-Competition Agreements

By Wayne N. Outten and Mark R. Humowiecki
December 28, 2007

Lawyer mobility is at an all-time high. Every week, the New York Law Journal contains announcements of partners and entire practice groups leaving one firm to join another. More and more first-time partners joined their firms as lateral associate hires rather than right out of law school. This phenomenon, which parallels the higher rates of mobility among employees in other sectors of the economy, is relatively recent. Through the 1960s, it was rare for a partner to leave his law firm for another firm in the same geographic area. See Linda Ewald, Agreements Restricting the Practice of Law: A New Look at an Old Paradox, 26 J. of the Legal Prof. 1, 1 at n. 6 (hereinafter 'EWALD').

Individual lawyers command greater market power than at any time before. As law practice has become more specialized and corporate legal departments have taken over some of the basic legal work that used to support law firms, firms are competing for valuable business. Milton Regan, Law Firms, Competition Penalties & The Values of Professionalism, 13 Geo. J. Legal Ethics, 1, 7-9 (Fall 1999). Lawyers (or groups of lawyers) who have a portable book of business can command a larger share of the revenue from their business by going to the highest bidder. Firms also aggressively recruit highly profitable lawyers with promises of enhanced support for the lawyers' practice, including technology, staffing, and marketing. This is on top of the investments that firms make in developing and maintaining strong, long-term client relationships.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
New York's Latest Cybersecurity Commitment Image

On Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.

Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office Image

A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.

Bit Parts Image

Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights

The Bankruptcy Hotline Image

Recent cases of importance to your practice.

How AI Has Affected PR Image

When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.