Commentary: Legal battles and the path ahead for noncompetes

The debate over noncompete agreements remains ongoing. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) faced two major setbacks in its efforts to abolish noncompete agreements between employers and employees in 2024. In separate rulings, courts challenged the FTC’s authority to impose a nationwide ban on noncompetes, arguing that the agency had overstepped its regulatory powers.

In late August, District Court Judge Ada Brown of the Northern District of Texas granted Ryan LLC and the Chamber of Commerce’s motion…