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Restrictive Covenants & Non-Competes

Our Employment Team are highly experienced in advising employers and employees in relation to Restrictive Covenants and Non-Compete agreements.

Restrictive Covenants Explained

All businesses and organisations seek to protect their intellectual property, client base and market share; thereby protecting their interests and those of their shareholders and employees.

A common practice is for employers to include specific terms within employment contracts to place restrictions on workers once they leave their employment. These are referred to in employment law as ‘Restrictive Covenants’. 

This means that if employees leave the organisation, for a fixed time period, they would have restrictions imposed on taking staff or clients with them or seeking to benefit from confidential information gleaned during their employment.

While this is perfectly understandable, restrictive covenants must be drafted in a specific way to ensure they are enforceable (should the time ever come) and lawful.

Restrictive Covenants Requirements

Restrictive covenants may not be included in all of your employment contracts, however, they may be included in those of senior staff members, who are privy to greater levels of access and information than junior individuals, and also may be more in a position to pose a risk to your commercial interests immediately after departing your organisation.  Indeed, by placing restrictive covenants into the employment contracts of junior staff, these may not be enforceable.

Our Restrictive Covenants Expertise

If you are a prospective employee, employee, or former employee, and you need guidance on restrictive covenants within a contract of employment provided by your employer, our specialist Employment law team can provide you with sharp, insightful legal guidance which will protect your best interests.

Our Multi-Disciplinary Expertise

As a full-service law firm, client's benefit from our multi-disciplinary expertise, where we collaborate with solicitors in other practice areas to provide you with expert legal advice and guidance which meets your needs.  Our Employment Solicitors regularly liaise with our Corporate & Commercial, Property and Litigation & Dispute Resolution Teams as appropriate.

Our Partnership with Talbot Pierce

Lavelle Partners work with Talbot Pierce Consulting to provide a seamless service in respect of Human Resource Management. 

Talbot Pierce are a team of specialist HR professionals who work with us on a range of matters including advice on and delivery of conflict/dispute resolution solutions, best-practice HR strategies, policies and procedures.

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Why Choose Lavelle for advice on Restrictive Covenants?

  • Our Employment Team, headed up by Partner Marc Fitzgibbon, have been advising employers and employees for over 35 years in relation to Restrictive Covenants and have a strong reputation for excellence in this area of law.

  • Marc is ranked in Band 2 in the latest Chambers and Partners Europe 2024 Guide for Employment: Mainly Plaintiff.

  • We are specialists in advising on all aspects of Employment contracts including Restrictive Covenants and Non-Compete Agreements.

  • Our Employment solicitors are pragmatic, pro-active and with strong business acumen to advise on the optimal strategy for you or your organisation.

  • As a full-service law firm, client's benefit from our multi-disciplinary offering and our specialist legal expertise across a number of related practice areas including Banking & Finance, Corporate & Commercial and Property.

Need Help? Just Ask. Image

Need Help? Just Ask.

For expert legal advice on Restrictive Covenants or Employment contracts, call us on +353 1 644 5800 or email law@lavellepartners.ie

What Our Clients Say

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"We chose Lavelle Partners based on the excellent reputation of Marc Fitzgibbon, and we could not be happier with that decision. Marc is highly experienced and exceptionally capable. He is also a grounded, likeable and approachable person who genuinely cares, and he places tremendous importance on always acting towards his clients best interests. Marc's advice and support was absolutely invaluable and I don't feel that there is anything further that Lavelle could possibly have done better to support me."

Michael King, Employment Client, 2026

"Ernesta and the Lavelle Partners LLP team recently helped me with a labour legal matter, and I was extremely impressed with the level of service, support and attention to detail. Ernesta answered all my questions clearly, with transparency, context and a structured approach that made the process much easier to navigate. I would highly recommend Ernesta and the team to anyone looking for legal support, especially in employment or labour matters."

Rob W, Employment Client, 2026

"Specialist employment law advice, particularly good for senior executive employees as well as SMEs".

Legal 500, 2026

"Marc Fitzgibbon. Highly expert in employment law, with a pragmatic approach, understanding the business perspective and solutions-focused."

Legal 500, 2026

"Marc Fitzgibbon, more than 40 years of experience advising in employment law matters, strategic advice, accessible, calm and measured."

Legal 500, 2026

"Marc Fitzgibbon is approachable and pragmatic in all his dealings, as well as being highly knowledgeable in the area of Employment law. His advice is constructive and practical, ensuring that the client is protected and has the best representation."

Legal 500, 2025

"There is almost no kind of Employment law issue that Marc Fitzgibbon has not encountered over the course of a vastly experienced career. He is tactically astute and is highly respected by his colleagues. When I am asked to provide a recommendation for an Employment law solicitor Marc is always at the top of my list."

Legal 500, 2025

"The Employment team in Lavelle are highly practical and flexible in dealing with legal issues. The team have deep experience and always place the client first in their considerations. They do precisely what is required and carefully resist the temptation to turn small issues into big issues."

Legal 500, 2025

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