Employees bound to non-solicitation agreements know they can get in trouble with their former employer if they try to recruit their former colleagues to join them at a competing company. What many don’t realize is that the new employer can also wind up in legal trouble if it is aware…
Corporate successor liability is a nuanced area of law, often entangling issues of contracts, corporate structure, and equity. The recent decision in PAE National Security Solutions, LLC v. Constellis, LLC (Va. Ct. App. Jan 7, 2025) serves as a reminder that when a company acquires another’s assets, the acquiring company…
Restrictive covenants in employment agreements (like non-compete and non-soliciation provisions) are disfavored in Virginia and only enforced when narrowly crafted so that the restrictions are no broader than necessary to protect the employer’s legitimate business interests. Even when the contract is well written and enforceable, however, there’s no guarantee the…
As discussed previously on this blog, plaintiffs who wish to nonsuit their claims can do so at virtually any time, subject to very limited exceptions. One such exception is that a nonsuit may not be taken as to any claim that has been submitted to the judge for a decision.…
Virginia courts exist to resolve disputes between litigants. They’re there to apply the law to a set of facts established by the evidence and declare and enforce the parties’ respective legal rights. Courts aren’t required to offer advisory opinions on abstract legal questions when there isn’t an actual controversy between…
In theory, Virginia follows a “one plaintiff per suit” rule: even if two plaintiffs are similarly situated, they should file their lawsuits separately and not jointly. There’s an exception for when there are at least six plaintiffs. The Multiple Claimant Litigation Act allows six or more plaintiffs to join together…
Suspending discovery while dispositive motions are pending may seem logical to most defendants. Why waste time and money responding to discovery requests in a case that might soon be dismissed? If a dispositive motion–such as a demurrer or plea in bar–is sustained, the ruling could resolve the case entirely or…
Virginia’s parol evidence rule prohibits the use of prior or contemporaneous oral statements or agreements to contradict, modify, or supplement the terms of a written contract that is intended to be a complete and final representation of the parties’ agreement. The rule is designed to protect the integrity of written…
If you’re going to file a lawsuit, it’s always a good idea to first do the necessary research to determine the correct identity of the person or corporate entity you’re suing. Failure to do so could result in permanent dismissal. The likelihood of this happening depends largely on the nature…
In this patent and trade-secret dispute between Safe Haven Wildlife Removal and Property Management Experts and Meridian Wildlife Services, the defendant tried to raise the stakes by inserting a number of business torts (including breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contract and business expectancies, and business conspiracy) but the…