In the case JLM Couture Inc. v. Gutman, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, a bridal designer signed an employment agreement that barred her from competing with her employer – JLM Couture Inc. (JLM) – following her employment. The designer also agreed to give certain rights to JLM related to a bridal line created in the designer’s own name in exchange for compensation and JLM’s investment in the brand. The agreement also prevented the designer from using variations of her name to market bridal wear.
Things went south, however, when JLM tried to renegotiate the parties’ deal by expanding the designer’s social media job duties. When negotiations fell apart, the designer locked JLM out of her brand’s social media page, and she started a new social media account under a slightly different trade name. JLM then sued for breach of contract, unfair competition, and conversion of social media accounts, among other things.
A federal district court judge enforced the non-compete even though it went so far as to prevent the bridal designer from using variations of her own name to earn a living. But the trial court went too far, according to the appellate court, when it ordered the bridal designer to transfer sole control of her business-related social media accounts to JLM. Though the bridal designer’s right to compete was limited by her JLM employment agreement, she “never forfeited her right to keep property that is legally hers,” according to U.S. Circuit Judge...
As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, political campaigns and online discussions are expected to intensify across social media and messaging platforms. Alongside legitimate political...