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<p class="MsoNormal">Maybe Tortious Interference; use of confidential and proprietary information (even without non-compete); solicitation. Problem would be if the store was closed when your PC opened, I’m not sure other company can allege they have damages.
They were shut down already. Unless they have some special IP the former employee is using that they still owned.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Jimmy Garg, Esq.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jimmy Garg, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">300 Lenora Street # 1063<br>
Seattle, WA 98121 <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 31, 2023 9:11 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Real Property Listserv' <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Off Topic Question<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Listmates:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Retail Store closes in mid-2022. It apparently was looking to sell, but nothing happened. Many months later, former employee opens a similar business about 5 miles away under a different name. It now appears the retail owner may want
to reopen later this year and has started threatening the former employee with a lawsuit. No non-compete agreement was ever signed. Retail owner is saying the former employee cannot use the same suppliers.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I see no prohibition with former employee opening a competing business or using the same suppliers, absent a non-compete agreement. Are there some other theories under which the former employee can be forced to close?
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff Davis<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">W. Jeff Davis<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">BELL & DAVIS PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Attorneys at Law</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
P.O. Box 510<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">720 E. Washington Street, Suite 105<br>
Sequim WA 98382<br>
Phone: (360) 683.1129 <br>
Fax: (360) 683.1258 <br>
email: </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a><span style="color:black"><br>
</span></span><a href="http://www.bellanddavispllc.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:blue">www.bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
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or call 360.683.1129.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
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