The Inbox – May Showers Edition

| Jason M. Knott

I thought April showers brought May flowers, but the month of May has brought both showers and flowers to the DC-Baltimore area.  Luckily, our colleague Andrew Torrez was not parked on the Baltimore street that was swept away by the recent deluge.  As for this week’s news in employer-executive disputes, we’ve managed to pluck a few tidbits that have bloomed despite the storms:

  • In the continuing saga of a proposed ban on non-compete agreements in Massachusetts (which we have covered here and here), 37 technology CEOs recently wrote to the state legislature to advance the cause of the ban, reported Kyle Alspach of BetaBoston;
  • Two trade associations have resolved an expensive dispute over poaching of employees.  Dietrick Knauth of Law360 wrote that TechAmerica sued the Information Technology Industry Council for hiring away the leaders of its government procurement team, but has now agreed to a settlement.  TechAmerica argued that the Council wanted to put it out of business by stealing its member companies. 
  • Patron Tequila settled during trial with an executive who claimed that he was entitled to $70 million in bonuses – and just in time for Cinco de Mayo.  City News Service said that Ajendra Singh sued Patron and its founder, John Paul DeJoria, alleging that he was promised equity bonuses based on the value of the company in exchange for operating its new factory in Mexico.
  • A California Senate committee is recommending a bill that would raise corporate taxes for companies who have CEOs that make more than 100 times that of its median worker, and would provide tax benefits to companies whose CEOs make less than that ratio.   Harold Meyerson of the Washington Post wrote that the bill was “one of the few remaining avenues that could enable workers to regain some of their lost income,” “in the absence of both unions and full employment.”
  • Melissa Lipman of Law360 reports that eBay settled an antitrust suit alleging that it entered into an anti-competitive agreement with Intuit not to recruit each other’s employees.  The deal includes an injunction and a $3.75 million payout.  The $3.75 million is more than the price for the third most expensive item ever bought on eBay – lunch with Warren Buffett.

Information provided on InsightZS should not be considered legal advice and expressed views are those of the authors alone. Readers should seek specific legal guidance before acting in any particular circumstance.

As the regulatory and business environments in which our clients operate grow increasingly complex, we identify and offer perspectives on significant legal developments affecting businesses, organizations, and individuals. Each post aims to address timely issues and trends by evaluating impactful decisions, sharing observations of key enforcement changes, or distilling best practices drawn from experience. InsightZS also features personal interest pieces about the impact of our legal work in our communities and about associate life at Zuckerman Spaeder.

Information provided on InsightZS should not be considered legal advice and expressed views are those of the authors alone. Readers should seek specific legal guidance before acting in any particular circumstance.