Sean McConnell – Non-Compete & Trade Secrets Law

On January 4, 2023, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took legal action for the first time to prohibit the use of noncompete restrictions by three companies and their executives. In doing so, the FTC flexed its newly reestablished standalone authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act. In a partisan 3-to-1 vote, the FTC commissioners voted to issue administrative complaints and accept consent agreements that prohibit the firms and their executives from imposing, attempting to impose, enforcing or threatening to enforce noncompete agreements on a broad swath of covered workers. The orders also require the firms to provide written notice to the thousands of impacted workers that the noncompete agreements are null and void.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

On November 10, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a policy statement that significantly expands the scope of what the FTC considers “unfair methods of competition” under Section 5 of the FTC Act (the “Policy Statement”). The announcement comes more than a year after the FTC rescinded its previous policy against pursuing “standalone” Section 5 Unfair Methods of Competition claims and interpreting Section 5 as coextensive with the Clayton and Sherman Acts. The Policy Statement appears to align with FTC Chair Lina Khan’s goal of increasing enforcement of conduct the FTC deems to be unfair regardless of whether it violates the Sherman and Clayton Acts.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

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FTC Expands Boundaries of What It Considers Unfair Competition Methods Under FTC Act Section 5