Georgia non-competes are enforceable under the Georgia Restrictive Covenants Act if they're reasonable in time, geographic area, and scope, and trade secrets get separate protection under the Georgia Trade Secrets Act. Parisi Law Firm drafts NDAs, non-competes, and non-solicitation agreements built to hold up in court, and enforces or defends against them when a dispute arises.
You built your business by figuring out what customers want, what to charge, and how to run a job right — and by training people to do it your way. None of that is worth much if a key employee can leave, take your client list and your best techs, and set up shop down the road.
Parisi Law Firm drafts NDAs, non-compete agreements, and non-solicitation agreements for Northeast Georgia business owners, and steps in when one gets violated — or when a former employer is trying to enforce an unfair one against you or a new hire. Jerry Parisi works directly with you to put agreements in place that actually protect what you've built, and that a Georgia court will actually enforce.
What these agreements protect
A well-drafted set of agreements protects the things competitors can't get anywhere else: your trade secrets, your customer relationships, your pricing and bidding methods, and the employees you've invested time and money training.
- Trade secrets — formulas, processes, supplier relationships, and internal methods
- Customer and client lists, including contact information and job history
- Pricing, bidding strategy, and profit margins
- Proprietary methods, systems, and training materials
- Trained employees and crews a competitor would love to poach
Non-competes under the Georgia Restrictive Covenants Act
Georgia non-competes are governed by the Georgia Restrictive Covenants Act. Under the Act, a non-compete is enforceable if it's reasonable in time, geographic area, and scope of the restricted activity — a court will weigh whether the restriction actually protects a legitimate business interest without unfairly blocking someone from earning a living.
If a non-compete goes too far — too long, too wide a territory, or too broad a description of restricted work — Georgia courts have the power to "blue-pencil" it, striking or narrowing the overbroad language rather than automatically throwing the whole agreement out. That makes careful, deliberate drafting worth the investment: a covenant written with reasonable limits from the start is far more likely to be enforced as written.
NDAs & trade secrets
A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) keeps confidential business information out of a competitor's hands — whether that's a formula, a customer database, a bidding process, or internal financials. NDAs can apply to employees, contractors, vendors, or anyone else who gets a look inside your operation.
Beyond the contract itself, genuine trade secrets receive independent protection under the Georgia Trade Secrets Act, which gives you legal remedies against misappropriation even outside of what a specific NDA spells out. A solid NDA and consistent internal practices around confidentiality work together to strengthen that protection.
Non-solicitation of customers and employees
Non-solicitation agreements are narrower than non-competes: instead of barring someone from working in the industry at all, they stop a departing employee from soliciting your customers or recruiting your remaining staff for a defined period. Because they're less restrictive, they're often easier to justify and enforce, and many Georgia business owners use them alongside — or instead of — a broader non-compete.
Enforcing a covenant when someone violates it — and defending against an unfair one
When a former employee breaks a valid non-compete, non-solicitation agreement, or NDA, Parisi Law Firm can move quickly to enforce it, including seeking injunctive relief to stop the ongoing harm to your business while the dispute plays out.
The same experience runs the other direction. If you're a business owner — or an employee — facing a non-compete that seems unreasonably broad in its time, territory, or restricted duties, Jerry Parisi can evaluate whether it's actually enforceable under Georgia law and push back on the parts that go too far.
Drafting agreements that actually hold up
Generic templates pulled off the internet are a common source of unenforceable agreements — they're often too broad, too vague, or simply not tailored to Georgia law. Parisi Law Firm drafts NDAs, non-competes, and non-solicitation agreements specific to your business, your industry, and the roles of the people signing them, so the agreement is doing real work if you ever need to rely on it.
NDA vs. Non-Compete vs. Non-Solicitation
| Agreement | What it protects | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| NDA | Confidential information and trade secrets | Employees, contractors, and vendors who see sensitive business information |
| Non-Compete | Your position in the market from a departing employee competing directly against you | Key employees, managers, and owners with access to core business strategy |
| Non-Solicitation | Your customer relationships and workforce from being poached | Sales staff, field crews, and managers with direct client or employee contact |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are non-competes enforceable in Georgia?
Yes. Under the Georgia Restrictive Covenants Act, a non-compete is enforceable if it's reasonable in time, geographic area, and scope of the restricted activity, and it protects a legitimate business interest. Overly broad agreements are the ones that run into trouble.
How long can a non-compete last in Georgia?
There's no single fixed length that applies to every agreement — Georgia law requires the duration to be reasonable given the role, the industry, and the interest being protected. A term that's reasonable for a sales executive may be excessive for an entry-level position, which is why each agreement needs to be tailored.
What's the difference between an NDA and a non-compete?
An NDA restricts what someone can disclose — it keeps confidential information and trade secrets from getting out. A non-compete restricts where someone can work after leaving, barring them from competing directly against you for a defined time and territory.
Can I stop a former employee from taking my clients?
If you have a valid non-solicitation agreement or non-compete in place, yes — Parisi Law Firm can move to enforce it, including seeking an injunction to stop the harm quickly. Without a signed agreement, your options are much more limited, which is why putting one in place early matters.
What happens if my non-compete is written too broadly?
A Georgia court can "blue-pencil" an overbroad non-compete, narrowing or striking the unreasonable parts rather than voiding the whole agreement automatically. Still, a narrowly and carefully drafted agreement from the start is far more likely to be enforced exactly as written.