Restrictive covenants protect your business from losing clients, confidential information, and key staff after employee departures. Without them, you risk serious commercial damage. It’s essential to ensure covenants are robust, enforceable, and aligned with your strategic interests.
When a senior employee or an entire team leaves for a competitor, the impact on your business can be immediate and significant. Client relationships, confidential information, and team stability are all at risk. Acting quickly and decisively is essential.
What are restrictive covenants?
Restrictive covenants are contractual clauses designed to protect your business after an employee leaves. They can prevent former employees from:
- Working for a competing business
- Soliciting or dealing with clients they worked with during their employment
- Poaching colleagues to join them
- Using or disclosing confidential information.
To be enforceable, these restrictions must be reasonable in scope, duration, and geography, and focused on protecting legitimate business interests, not simply limiting competition.
Why they matter
Without effective covenants, your business could lose key clients, sensitive data, and valuable talent. For HR leaders and senior decision-makers, ensuring these clauses are robust and enforceable is a critical part of risk management.
How can we support you?
We provide strategic, commercially focused advice to protect your business when restrictive covenants are under threat. We can:
- Assess enforceability of existing covenants
- Act swiftly to secure injunctions and prevent damage
- Coordinate forensic investigations to recover data and evidence
- Represent you in court to seek protection or damages.
We understand the urgency these situations demand and will work to safeguard your business interests.
Get in Touch
You may also be interested in
Employment servicesDisciplinary and Performance Issues
Facing disciplinary action or performance concerns can impact your career and wellbeing. Expert legal advice ensures fair treatment, protects your rights, and helps you respond confidently to safeguard your future.
Discrimination Claims
Discrimination can damage your wellbeing and career. Taking action early protects your rights. Expert legal advice ensures fair treatment and strengthens your position for the best possible outcome.
Unfair Dismissal Claims
Unfair dismissal can have serious consequences. Employees should know their legal rights, time limits, and claim options. Seek clear, expert advice early to protect your position and achieve the best outcome.
Relevant Insights and Events
Preventing misuse of non-disclosure agreements in workplace harassment and discrimination cases
Ban on NDAs concerning workplace harassment/discrimination Under changes to the law being made by the Employment Right Act…
Mental Health Awareness Week
Good Work A healthy workforce is one that feels engaged and motivated. Achieving this, however, is not always…
Employers Beware: New Trade Union Access Rights from October 2026 – Update and FAQ’s
From October this year, trade unions will have a new statutory right to access workplaces (physically and/or digitally)…
Meet Our Specialists
Discover the experienced professionals driving our service, offering clear, commercially astute guidance with a supportive, solution‑oriented mindset.