Contract Glossary

Non-Solicitation

Definition

A non-solicitation clause stops you from poaching your former employer's clients, customers, or employees for a set period after you leave. It's narrower than a non-compete, you can work wherever you want, you just can't take people with you.

In Practice

You leave an accounting firm where you managed 30 client relationships worth $800,000/year in revenue. Your non-solicitation clause says you can't solicit those clients for 18 months. You can work at a competing firm. You can even serve those clients if they come to you on their own. What you can't do is reach out to them and say 'I've moved, follow me.' That distinction between soliciting and responding matters.