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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Can knowing who the suppliers are be use of confidential/proprietary information? The suppliers sell to anyone willing to buy and my understanding is most purchases are over the internet. It is not like the old days when salesmen, from the suppliers, stop buy with the sales pitch. I was thinking about a tortious interference issue, but the former store was closed, so no interference. When a store closes, do they have some right to stop competition that fills the void, even if they intend to reopen at some later date? <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jeff<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><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> <br>The information contained in this e-mail message may be privileged, confidential, and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution, or copying is strictly prohibited. If you think that you have received this e-mail message in error, please e-mail the sender at </span><a href="mailto:info@bellanddavispllc.com"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:blue'>info@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'> 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></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jimmy Garg<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 31, 2023 9:29 AM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Off Topic Question<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><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><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><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><p class=MsoNormal>206-580-3790 (p) 206-736-3218 (f)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black'>Notice:</span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black'> Unless you have previously signed an engagement agreement with this firm, and the firm has accepted you as a client, then NO exchange of information by virtue of e-mails or other communications will create an attorney-client relationship, including a duty of confidentiality, between sender and/or recipient.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:navy'>Confidentiality Note:</span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:navy'> This e-mail, and any attachment to it, contains privileged and confidential information intended only for the use of the individual(s) or entity named on the e-mail. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that reading it is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately return it to the sender and delete it from your system. Thank you.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:red'>Please note that due to COVID-19, this office is not currently accepting in person appointments.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b><a href="mailto:Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a><br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 31, 2023 9:11 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'WSBA Real Property Listserv' <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Off Topic Question<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><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> <br>The information contained in this e-mail message may be privileged, confidential, and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution, or copying is strictly prohibited. If you think that you have received this e-mail message in error, please e-mail the sender at </span><a href="mailto:info@bellanddavispllc.com"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:blue'>info@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'> 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><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>