Monday, November 4, 2002
Corporate Express Office Products, Inc. v. Doug Phillips

no.01-2741

Orange County



Phillips and others worked for companies acquired by Corporate Express. Each had signed agreements with their original employers saying they would not leave to work for competitors. After acquisitions of these companies and internal restructuring of Corporate Express's business operations, Phillips and the others left to work for a competitor. Corporate Express sued to enforce the noncompetition agreements, but the former employees argued that the acquisition of companies and internal restructuring effectively had terminated their agreements. The trial court disagreed, but the Fifth District reversed.