"If there are no noncompetes, a person can leave at any time after acquiring company knowledge and share that with a new employer immediately," she said. "Additionally, without noncompetes, corporations are also concerned about retention, believing that their removal will open the door for attrition."
The rule may afford candidates greater flexibility to change employers and broaden the pool of candidates for a position, Carpenter said.
"As a legal search firm, not all of our clients ask attorneys being hired to sign noncompete agreements," she added.