A recent decision by the Georgia Court of Appeals addressed the issue of an employer’s rights when a former employee, upon leaving, uses the company’s proprietary materials to establish a new competing business.

In the case of Trotman v. Velociteach Project Management LLC, the trial court awarded project management training company, Velociteach, $147,750 from former employee Floyd Trotman and his new company, CertiFi, based on breach of contract, fraud, tortious interference with a business relationship, conversion, and misappropriation of trade secrets. The court also ordered Trotman to return all VelociTeach materials and barred him from using Velociteach’s customer lists. On appeal, the Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s decision.

Further reading:

Georgia Court Shuts Down Former Employee’s Competing Business

Trotman v. Velociteach Project Management