This case starts with an unusual employment agreement, which allowed Felix Ferrer to operate a business called FNA out of his garage while working for his employer, SAS Stressteel. Ferrer is an experienced construction engineer who was an important sales manager for his previous employer, DYWIDAG-Systems International, with 31 years' experience, when SAS hired him in 2001.
The agreement gave Ferrer 10% of the company, a guaranteed salary and benefits, and contained a non-solicitation provision but no non-compete.
SAS did not learn until 2012 that FNA was earning over $1 million per year, that FNA was using SAS equipment and personnel, and that Ferrer also owned 40% of Retech, a major SAS customer.
SAS tried to acquire FNA but Ferrer decided instead to sell his interest in FNA and then several SAS employees joined FNA. SAS sued.
The court denied a preliminary injunction, finding no irreparable harm, but allowed the case to proceed on several issues. The case will be interesting to practitioners for two reasons: 1) the agreement allowing for competition but not solicitation presents interesting lessons and 2) the case contains a concise and well-written analysis, under New Jersey's UTSA, of the plaintiff's burden for proving misappropriation of trade secrets.
