Former Employees' Systematic Client Solicitation Constitutes Unfair Competition
Synthèse Legislator
Généré par l'IATwo former sales inspectors, having resigned from one company and immediately started working for a competitor performing identical activities, were sued for unfair competition based on soliciting the former employer's clientele; the appellate court had ruled in favor of the former employees, holding they were free to prospect the former clientele, even systematically, absent a non-compete clause, but the high court overturned this decision because the appellate court failed to investigate whether this systematic prospecting, considered within the context of the overall maneuvers, constituted a wrongful act as required by the relevant civil code article.
Regeste Legislator
Généré par l'IAARTICLE 1382 DU CODE CIVIL, PAR CES MOTIFS; Former Employees' Systematic Client Solicitation Constitutes Unfair Competition: Two former sales inspectors, having resigned from one company and immediately started working for a competitor performing identical activities, were sued for unfair competition based on soliciting the former employer's clientele; the appellate court had ruled in favor of the former employees, holding they were free to prospect the former clientele, even systematically, absent a non-compete clause, but the high court overturned this decision because the appellate court failed to investigate whether this systematic prospecting, considered within the context of the overall maneuvers, constituted a wrongful act as required by the relevant civil code article.
Mots-clés
Généré par l'IADispositions légales citées
Généré par l'IADécisions connexes
Généré par l'IAQuestions juridiques clés extraites par Legislator
Généré par l'IAThe Court of Cassation bases its decision to quash the appeal on the potential violation of this article regarding fault in unfair competition.
This phrase introduces the dispositive orders of the judgment.
Texte complet
SUR LE MOYEN UNIQUE : VU L'ARTICLE 1382 DU CODE CIVIL ;
ATTENDU QU'IL RESULTE DE L'ARRET ATTAQUE QU'APRES AVOIR REGULIEREMENT DEMISSIONNE DES FONCTIONS D'INSPECTEURS DES VENTES QU'ILS OCCUPAIENT A LA SOCIETE JICEY FRANCE (LA SOCIETE JICEY), GASTEL ET DUPART SONT ENTRES AU SERVICE DE LA SOCIETE LAMECO QUI A EXERCE APRES LEUR ARRIVEE UNE ACTIVITE IDENTIQUE A CELLE DE LA SOCIETE JICEY ;
QUE CELLE-CI A ALORS ASSIGNE GASTEL, DUPART ET LA SOCIETE LAMECO EN PAIEMENT DE DOMMAGES-INTERETS POUR CONCURRENCE DELOYALE ;
ATTENDU QUE LA COUR D'APPEL A DECIDE QUE DUPART ET GASTEL, DES LORS QU'ILS N'ETAIENT LIES A LA SOCIETE JICEY PAR AUCUNE CLAUSE DE NON-CONCURRENCE, ETAIENT EN DROIT DE PROSPECTER POUR LE COMPTE DE LA SOCIETE LAMECO, MEME SYSTEMATIQUEMENT, LA CLIENTELE DE LA SOCIETE JICEY ET, CE, EN UTILISANT LEURS RELATIONS PERSONNELLES ET LEURS REMINISCENCES ;
ATTENDU QU'EN STATUANT AINSI, SANS RECHERCHER SI CETTE PROSPECTION SYSTEMATIQUE, EN S'INSERANT DANS UN ENSEMBLE DE MANOEUVRES QU'ELLE A RETENUES, NE PRESENTAIT PAS UN CARACTERE FAUTIF, LA COUR D'APPEL N'A PAS DONNE DE BASE LEGALE A SA DECISION ;
PAR CES MOTIFS : CASSE ET ANNULE, DANS LES LIMITES DU MOYEN, L'ARRET RENDU ENTRE LES PARTIES LE 30 AVRIL 1980 PAR LA COUR D'APPEL DE PARIS ;
REMET, EN CONSEQUENCE, LA CAUSE ET LES PARTIES AU MEME ET SEMBLABLE ETAT OU ELLES ETAIENT AVANT LEDIT ARRET ET, POUR ETRE FAIT DROIT, LES RENVOIE DEVANT LA COUR D'APPEL D'ORLEANS.