Maryland Non-Compete & Severance Agreement Lawyers

Protecting Your Future Interests & Employability

For many years, non-compete and severance agreements were used primarily for high-level executives. Recently, their use has been expanded to mid-level executives and other skilled employees. At the Law Office of Andrew M. Dansicker, LLC, our non-compete and severance agreement attorneys in Maryland help clients negotiate and challenge these agreements.

If you need advice about an employment agreement you have been asked to sign or an existing agreement, call (410) 213-3392 for a consultation. 

Negotiating Non-Compete Agreements Before You Sign

The best way to minimize the risk of limiting your future employability through a non-compete agreement is to negotiate the agreement before signing it. If you are presented with a non-compete agreement, you may benefit from negotiating the scope and duration of the agreement to protect your future employability. It is important to understand that these agreements exist to serve the interests of your employer. A knowledgeable employment law attorney can assist you with the negotiations.

Challenging Your Non-Compete Agreement

When an agreement is too broad, you may find that you are severely restricted from pursuing a certain job in the future. A non-compete agreement can preclude an individual from working in their industry or starting a business in that industry for months or even years.  This may prompt you to look for ways around a non-compete agreement. However, Maryland non-compete law must be your first consideration when finding a way to keep a non-compete agreement from hurting your career. Generally, Maryland courts enforce valid agreements as long as the terms are reasonable and don’t pose an undue hardship.

For a non-compete agreement to be enforceable under Maryland law, it must be:

• Ancillary to your employment contract
• Supported by adequate consideration
• Limited in area and duration only as needed to protect the employer
• In compliance with public policy
• Written in a way that does not place undue hardship on the employee

Our firm can help you challenge a non-compete agreement that you feel does not reflect these requirements.