Non-Compete Agreement Review & Drafting

A non-compete agreement is only as strong as its drafting. Too broad, and a Florida court will narrow it — or refuse to enforce it. Too narrow, and it fails to protect the business interests it was written for. Williams Taylor Law, P.A. drafts, reviews, and negotiates non-compete agreements for Fort Lauderdale and South Florida businesses, executives, and employees, so the agreement says what it needs to say and holds up when it matters.

Non-Competes for Florida Businesses

If your company invests in training people, shares confidential information with them, or gives them access to key customer relationships, a well-drafted non-compete is a core business asset. We draft non-competes tailored to your industry, your workforce, and your actual competitive risks — covering the right employees, the right restricted activities, and reasonable time and geographic limits under Florida law. We also audit existing agreements and update them as your business, your team, or the law changes.

Review and Negotiation for Executives and Employees

Being asked to sign a non-compete — at hiring, at promotion, or alongside a severance package — can feel like a take-it-or-leave-it moment. It often is not. We review proposed agreements for executives and employees, explain in plain language what the restrictions would actually prevent you from doing, and negotiate narrower terms where the employer's draft overreaches. The time to address an unreasonable non-compete is before you sign it.

What Florida Law Requires

Florida enforces non-compete agreements under Section 542.335 of the Florida Statutes: a signed writing; reasonable scope in duration, geographic area, and line of business; a legitimate business interest (trade secrets, valuable confidential information, substantial customer relationships, goodwill, or extraordinary training); courts do not weigh personal hardship. As a rule of thumb, Florida courts presume six months or less is reasonable and more than two years is unreasonable; overbroad restrictions are typically narrowed rather than thrown out; continued at-will employment generally supports a non-compete signed during employment.

Drafting Agreements That Hold Up

Enforceability is built in at the drafting stage. Our agreements identify the specific legitimate business interests at stake, define restricted activities with precision, set time and geographic limits calibrated to Florida case law, and pair the non-compete with coordinated non-solicitation and confidentiality provisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are non-competes enforceable in Florida? A: Yes — Florida is one of the states most favorable to enforcement, provided the agreement meets Section 542.335's requirements.

Q: How long can a non-compete last? A: Courts presume six months or less is reasonable and more than two years is unreasonable; the right duration depends on industry, role, and interests protected.

Q: What is a legitimate business interest? A: Examples include trade secrets, valuable confidential information, substantial relationships with specific customers, goodwill, and extraordinary training — not merely avoiding ordinary competition.

Q: My employer wants me to sign a non-compete to keep my job. Is that enforceable? A: Florida courts have generally held continued at-will employment is sufficient support, but scope must still be reasonable — review before signing matters.

Q: What happens if a court finds my non-compete too broad? A: Courts typically modify it to what is reasonably necessary rather than invalidating the whole agreement.

Schedule a strategy session. Whether you need a non-compete drafted, reviewed, or negotiated, call Williams Taylor Law, P.A. at (954) 507-7732 or visit our Fort Lauderdale office at 515 E. Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

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