You do not need a lawyer to create and sign a non-disclosure agreement. However, if the information you are trying to protect is important enough to warrant an NDA, you may want to have the document reviewed by someone with legal expertise.
NDAs can carry serious civil and criminal penalties if broken, so like all contracts, you must understand all the terms of the agreement before you sign. If in doubt, contact an attorney who can review the document for you and answer any questions before you sign.
In California, a nondisclosure agreement may be enforceable, provided it meets basic criteria. The restrictive covenant must be properly drafted. This entails clear writing, detailed information about the confidential components of the contract, and a clearly stated extent of the confidentiality obligation.
Starting January 1, 2025, businesses settling disputes with consumers cannot condition any refund or other consideration on a consumer agreeing not to make statements about the business, regardless of the sentiment or accuracy of those statements. The text of the new Cal. Civ. Code § 1748.50 can be found here.
Legal action: The party that was harmed by the breach of the NDA can take legal action to enforce the agreement and seek damages for any losses that were incurred. This may involve filing a lawsuit, seeking injunctive relief, or pursuing alternative dispute resolution.
In California, a nondisclosure agreement may be enforceable, provided it meets basic criteria. The restrictive covenant must be properly drafted. This entails clear writing, detailed information about the confidential components of the contract, and a clearly stated extent of the confidentiality obligation.
California Laws on Non-Disclosure Agreements Additionally, an NDA must be reasonable in scope and duration to be enforceable, and it must not be contrary to public policy or violate any laws. The California Uniform Trade Secrets Act (CUTSA) also provides specific requirements for NDAs that protect trade secrets.
Various whistleblower laws protect employees who have signed non-disclosure agreements and find whistleblowing necessary to right the wrongs of their employers. For instance, California law deems unenforceable NDAs that require employees to keep quiet about harassment, discrimination, or unlawful workplace activity.
Potential remedies include: Injunctive relief: An injunction prevents a party from engaging in some sort of action, for instance using or selling the information that they acquired in violation of the NDA. For the party that misappropriated the protected information, the injunction could destroy their business.