non-compete-clause

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  • Quebec court rules in favor of THQ, ends Ubisoft injunction

    by 
    Ben Gilbert
    Ben Gilbert
    12.16.2011

    Ubisoft may want THQ to stop poaching its employees, but the Quebec Court of Appeal for the District of Montreal doesn't seem to mind. THQ issued a statement this afternoon declaring that the court "unanimously" ruled in its favor, allowing the company to hire Ubisoft employees who were "to THQ's knowledge bound by a non-compete provision." After THQ hired away ex-Assassin's Creed project lead Patrice Désilets to head up a "new IP" at its Montreal-based studio, VP of Core Games Danny Bilson told us he planned on bringing more folks over from Ubisoft's nearby studio. This, among other things, initially precipitated an injunction, and eventually a messy court battle. As it turns out, though, Quebec's Court of Appeal sided with THQ on the grounds that the company "was not bound by any non-competition restrictions, and was therefore free to solicit any Ubisoft employee," so long as THQ didn't engage in "unfair competition." So much for that non-compete clause, eh?