Alex Sheshunoff Management Services, L.P. v. Johnson

Justice HECHT, Justice BRISTER, Justice GREEN, and Justice JOHNSON joined.

In this case we revisit the Court’s 1994 decision in Light v. Centel Cellular Co.1 and again consider the enforceability of covenants not to compete in the context of at-will employment. The question today is whether an at-will employee who signs a non-compete covenant is bound by that agreement if, at the time the agreement is made, the employer has no corresponding enforceable obligation. Under Light, the answer to that question was always “no.” Today we modify our holding in Light and hold that an at-will employee’s…