The Legal Aid Society represents a 26 year old man being sued by a former employer. Our client worked for two years as a dance instructor and, in order to secure that position,  signed an employment agreement with the dance studio that contained non-compete, non-solicitation, and non-disparagement provisions, among other things. The owners of the studio created a toxic work environment for our client, including passing him over for promotions. In June 2018, our client quit his job. Less than two months later, the dance studio sued him in New York Supreme Court for breach of contract, alleging that he violated the non-compete, non-solicitation, and non-disparagement clauses of the contract. Additionally, the studio brought a claim of tortious interference of contract claims against our client, alleging that he client induced several students to leave the dance studio at the same time he left his position. He denies these claims. Moreover, we believe the non-compete and non-solicitation clauses of the contract may be unenforceable as a matter of law.

The Legal Aid Society is filing an answer on behalf of the client denying the claims and asserting a counterclaim requesting a declaratory judgment on the matter of the unenforceability of the provisions of the contract mentioned above. We are seeking pro bono assistance to co-counsel with Legal Aid on this State Supreme Court litigation.