“Non-Compete Agreements in Action – Microsoft V. Google”

Non-Compete Agreements in Action Microsoft v. Google Facts disputable documents Dr. Kai-Fu downwind joined Microsoft in 1998 to run company operations in China Knowledge of company trade secrets Quit Microsoft because he was pitiful to Google When lee was hired Microsoft made him sign a non-compete agreement Microsoft sued Google and Lee over the non-compete agreement Issue Does Microsoft have the right to have a non-compete agreement with Dr. Kai-Fu Lee? Discussion In 2000, Microsoft moved to protect itself by requiring Dr. Kai-Fu Lee to sign a non-compete agreement.Notwithstanding this agreement, Lee quit in July, 2005 by notifying Microsoft that he was moving to Google, which resulted in a recent pillow slip that was filled by Microsoft against Google. Dr. Lee joined Microsoft in 1998 and was in press down on of creating and running Microsoft branch operations in China. While at Microsoft Lee worked on Microsofts speech recognition system and was responsible for the boilersu it development of the MSN Internet search program. In short, he has personal knowledge of company trade secrets including technology developments as well as agate line and marketing planning.The agreement that Microsoft required Lee to sign in 2000 was to waive employment with any direct competitor of Microsoft. Conclusion Non-Compete Agreements are contentious documents that restrict a persons right to work with competitors of a former employer. The usefulness of one such non-compete agreement is on reveal in a recent lawsuit filed by Microsoft against Google. In appalling of 2008 Microsoft and Google came to agreement after a Washington Court ruled that Microsoft has no right to require employees to sign non-Compete agreements because California has a Law called the unspoiled to Work.