Restrictive Covenants

IM Protect

IM Protect gives you expert legal advice on how to use restrictive covenants to protect your business interests when employees leave. It also gives guidance on how to hire new employees who are subject to restrictions from their old employers.

When employees leave, there is a risk that confidential information and customer connections can fall into the hands of your competitors. You must take specific steps to include enforceable restrictive covenants into the contracts of key members of staff, to protect your business interests.

Our service allows you to pay a fixed fee for each service as and when you need it.

What is IM Protect? How Can It Help Me?

IM Protect gives you the tools to manage the risks involved when employees leave your employment.

If an employee left your business…

Can customers take their business elsewhere?
Can other employees leave with them?
Do you need to safeguard customer relationships during their notice period?
Do you have confidential information to protect?
Do you need to recruit a replacement with employment restrictions from their current employer?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then your business is at risk and IM Protect can help.

We’ll analyse your existing contracts, policies, and procedures and then advise on what improvements to make. We can also support you through any litigation that you face while defending your organisation’s interests.

How Does It Work?

IM Protect can help you in three areas:

Analysis – we’ll review your existing contracts and policies to look for any gaps where your business could be at risk. We’ll also give you guidance on how to fill those gaps and can draft new contracts and policies for you if you need them.
Recruitment – you’ll get advice on how to recruit individuals with restrictions in place from previous employers. We’ll also advise the individual on how to negotiate with their old employer and we can defend your business if any claims are made against you.
Enforcement – we can draft legal documents to enforce any restrictions on employees and remind them of their obligations when they leave. We can also help you bring a claim against employees who breach those restrictions.

We understand that every business is unique, so you only pay for each element of IM Protect as and when you need it.

Who Is It For?

If you need advice on how restrictions can be used and maintained in your business, IM Protect can help. Employees can also use it to get advice on how restrictions apply to them and their role.

We’ve worked with businesses across many different sectors and have a particular expertise in:

Construction
Financial Services
Recruitment.

Why Choose IM Protect?

IM Protect is an affordable and flexible way to protect your business interests when employees leave or new ones start.

We offer a fixed fee for any work done in the Analysis and Recruitment areas. Often, just using these two services will give your business the protection it needs to avoid any legal claims. If your business is facing a claim, then we’ll agree the fee beforehand.

Our employment solicitors will give you bespoke advice on how use and enforce restrictive covenants to protect your business. You’ll also benefit from advice from external experts like barristers and forensic IT specialists and our commercial litigation or intellectual property teams.

Our teams are based throughout the country so no matter where you are, we can help. Contact our solicitors today to get the most out of IM Protect. Contact Rachel Hetherington online or call 0121 203 5355 to find out more.

Key Contact

Fergal Dowling

Partner

Tel. +44 (0)121 214 5437

fergal.dowling@irwinmitchell.com

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