Business Disputes Blog

A recent Fifth Circuit decision in Sims Agency, LLC v. GEICO underscores a hard truth for commission-based professionals. Courts will enforce the plain text of your contract, and nothing more. This Fifth Circuit decision reminds insurance agents and any commission-based professionals that post-termination compensation must be spelled out in writing. Sims Agency, a captive GEICO […]

A reminder that even strong infringement claims can vanish if the underlying patent doesn’t hold up. Causam Enterprises v. International Trade Commission, 2025 WL 2919058 (Fed. Cir. 2025) In this Federal Circuit case, Causam Enterprises sued the International Trade Commission, claiming that imported “smart thermostat” products infringed on its energy-management patent. The Commission ruled there […]

A Wisconsin federal court recently reminded us that noncompete agreements are only as strong as their drafting and structure. In Hribar Transport LLC v. Slegers, the trucking company sued a former employee, claiming he breached a noncompete clause by forming a competing logistics business and taking customers. The employee, however, argued that his contract had […]

Alleged “no-poach” agreements highlight risks for employers relying on shared labor pools. A recent decision from the Fourth Circuit reinstated a proposed class action against several major U.S. naval shipbuilders, including General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls. The case involves allegations that these companies conspired with consulting firms to suppress wages of engineers and architects through […]

Think a handbook policy guarantees arbitration? Not so fast. A recent decision in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California addressed a dispute as to the existence of an arbitration agreement between Verily Life Sciences, LLC (Verily) and a former employee. Ryan Sloan, a former employee of Verily, filed a lawsuit […]

When two businesses collaborate to bring a tech solution to market, clearly written contracts are the best protection. That’s the takeaway from Baldwin Hackett and Meeks, Inc. v. Early Warning Services, LLC, a recent case from the Eighth Circuit involving a failed software licensing relationship. Nebraska-based software firm Baldwin Hackett and Meeks, Inc. (BHMI) had […]