Faegre Baker Daniels Releases Study on Restrictive Covenants in the UK Financial Services Sector

A major survey of 116 financial sector businesses, launched today by international law firm Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, looks at the use of restrictive covenants in the financial services sector.

Whilst there are many in the City who might dismiss restrictive covenants, the survey found that 83 percent of respondents included them in their employment contracts and four out of 10 (42 percent) supported the view that breaches and alleged breaches do get challenged. However, and surprisingly, 59 percent of respondents adopted a blanket – or ‘industry standard' – approach to restrictive covenants, and only 27 percent referred to their restrictive covenants as being subject to negotiation or amendment. In other words, most respondents were using an off-the-shelf approach.                

The research is timely in light of the recent High Court defeat suffered by wealth management firm, Towry, in its poaching claim against Raymond James. Towry claimed that Raymond James, and seven financial advisers who joined Raymond James, had solicited its clients. However, Towry failed to distinguish between the "non-solicitation" clauses in the seven advisers' contracts and the stronger "non-dealing" clauses it had imposed on other advisers. The result was a resounding victory for Raymond James and the advisers.

Alex Denny, partner and leader of the employment practice in the London office of Faegre Baker Daniels, which acted for Raymond James and the advisers in the Towry case, commented, "Restrictive covenants certainly have their drawbacks. They can be expensive to enforce and, if they are not carefully drafted, will have no legal benefit, as the Raymond James case illustrates. That said, the courts have shown themselves increasingly willing to enforce covenants where these are necessary to protect a legitimate business interest of the former employer. Our survey shows that restrictive covenants are here to stay but that companies are becoming increasingly creative in their efforts to hold on to key clients and employees."           

The other main findings of the survey are:

• Who Owns the Client: One of the lessons in the Raymond James case is that a non-solicitation restriction on its own will give little protection to the former employer. If an employer wants to stop its employees from dealing with its clients, it needs to have a non-dealing restriction. This gives rise to wider issues around the enforceability of non-dealing restrictions and their potentially onerous impact on client choice in a regulatory context.
• The Art of Drafting: To protect their interests, employers need to draft their covenants correctly at the outset and keep them under review.
• The Art of Creativity: Restrictive covenants are not the only way to tie in staff. Increasingly, financial services firms are using more creative devices such as the use of garden leave clauses and deferred remuneration.
• The Art of Difference: Different approaches are used in different areas of the financial services industry with varying degrees of success. Interviews with leading industry figures reveal insights and tips from the decision makers.       

To read the survey report in full, please click here.

For further information, please contact:

Alison Kuipers, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP
+44 020 7450 4593
alison.kuipers@faegredrinker.com
www.faegredrinker.com

Lydia Rochelle, Byfield Consultancy
+ 44 020 7092 3985
lydia@byfieldconsultancy.com
www.byfieldconsultancy.com                      

Methodology
A total of 116 companies responded to an online survey of multiple choice questions over a five month period (July-December 2011). This initial research phase was followed by more in-depth telephone interviews with a number of the respondents and industry commentators. The respondents were drawn from the banking, broking, IFA, fund management, insurance and accountancy industries as well as other financial sector based businesses. Almost half (48 percent) of respondents employed 201 staff or more.