1. What does litigation cost?
The law firm of Steele Law Group, P.A. prides itself on providing high quality, professional legal services at a competitive rate. However, litigation is by its nature expensive. The firm does not accept work on a contingency fee basis and requires a substantial deposit from clients wishing to engage in complex litigation.
Initial consultations are available at our standard hourly rates. We encourage potential clients to view our frequently asked questions page before scheduling an initial consultation.
If you are unable to afford a lawyer, we suggest you contact a local bar association or legal aide office in your city to learn more about reduced cost legal representation.
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2. What is a "restrictive covenant" under Florida law?
A "restrictive covenant" is any restraint of trade that is not per se illegal under the federal Sherman Antitrust Act or the Florida Antitrust Act.
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3. What sort of agreements quality as "restrictive covenants"?
Primarily, such agreements include non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, and non-disclosure agreements; other agreements qualifying as "restrictive covenants" include exclusive-dealing agreements and other agreements governed by the "rule of reason."
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4. What Florida Statutes currently regulate "restrictive covenants"?
Section 542.335 governs restrictive covenants "entered into or having an effective date on or after July 1, 1996."
Section 542.33 governs restrictive covenants "entered into before July 1, 1996."
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5. What are the key differences between Section 542.33 and Section 542.335?
Section 542.33 prohibits all restraints of trade other than those restraints specifically identified in the statute:
- Seller of goodwill of a business;
- Shareholder of a corporation "selling or otherwise disposing of all of her or his shares in said corporation may agree with the buyer"...or refrain from carrying on or engaging a similar business and from soliciting old customers of such employer within a reasonably limited time and area, so long as the buyer
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Terms of Use
The commentary, information, opinions, and analyses conveyed on this site by Steele Law Group, P.A. ("SLG"), do not constitute legal advice and shall not be construed as such. The content of the website may or may not be updated on any regular basis, so you should not assume that such content is current.
This letter confirms that your access of SLG's website, and your review of the content of that website:
1. Creates no attorney-client relationship privilege of any kind between SLG, or any employee of SLG, and you;
2. Creates no obligation, express or implied, for SLG, or for any employee of SLG, to keep confidential any information disclosed by you to SLG;
3. Imposed no obligation, express or implied, for SLG, or for any employee of SLG, to refrain from representing any person or business entity in any dispute involving (i) any confidential information disclosed by you to SLG or (ii) any person or business entity identified by you during your access of SLG's website;
4. Creates no obligation, express or implied, for SLG to update the commentary, information, opinions, or analyses published on its website;
5. Establishes or creates no warranty of the accuracy or reliability of any commentary, information, opinions, or analyses published on its website; or
6. Implied that the website, or its content, is sponsored by, affiliated with, or approved by, directly or indirectly, the American Bar Association ("the ABA") or any section of the ABA, The Florida Bar (or any section of The Florida Bar), the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar (or any committee of the Business Law Section), or any other section, subsection, committee, or subcommittee of the ABA or The Florida Bar.
Your access or use of SLG's website does not create or establish an attorney-client relationship. Very specifically, SLG will not provide legal advice to you unless and until you have entered into an attorney-client relationship with SLG in accordance with the "Client Engagements" section of this website.
Copyright Notice
All postings and other related content on SLG's website are the exclusive property of Thomas T. Steele, and they are protected by federal copyright law. Thomas T. Steele expressly prohibits the copying, in whole or in part, of any protected commentary, information, opinions, or analyses published on this website.
Client Engagements
If you want to enter into an attorney-client relationship with SLG, we must first:
(1) Clear conflicts of interest. You do not want to disclose any additional sensitive information to SLG, or to any employee of SLG, if SLG already represents a party adverse to you.
(2) Enter into a signed engagement letter between you and SLG. That engagement letter will outline critical non-financial terms, the scope of the engagement, and the financial terms of the engagement, including but not limited to whether those terms (i) involve a retainer, (ii) are predicated upon an hourly rate, or (iii) involve a contingent-fee arrangement.
SLG assists clients every day who have problems related to business transitions, employment terminations, and other competitive disputes. In particular, SLG represents and advises employees, agents, independent contractors, and other persons about the validity and enforceability of restrictive covenants in Florida. Given the fact-specific nature of that advice, SLG renders such advice only in written opinion letters signed by Thomas T. Steele. Any such advice not set forth in a writing signed by Thomas T. Steele is null and void and must not be relied upon for any purpose. Please write or telephone me about whether an attorney-client relationship makes sense for you on the facts of this dispute.
