Common Law - Restraint of Trade: Fundamental doctrine that restricts enforceability of contractual clauses limiting trade, business, or professional practice unless reasonable and protecting legitimate business interests
Contract Act 1999: Governs formation and enforceability of contracts, including terms related to restrictive covenants
Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977: Regulates unfair terms in contracts and determines which terms may be unenforceable due to unreasonableness
Employment Rights Act 1996: Primary legislation governing employment rights and restrictions in employment relationships
Trade Secrets Regulations 2018: Protects confidential business information and trade secrets, relevant for non-compete enforcement
Competition Act 1998: Regulates anti-competitive practices and ensures fair competition in business
Enterprise Act 2002: Provides framework for competition law and market regulation in the UK
Reasonableness Test: Legal principle requiring non-compete clauses to be reasonable in duration, geographic scope, and scope of restricted activities
Legitimate Business Interest: Legal requirement that non-compete restrictions must protect genuine business interests rather than simply prevent competition
EU Retained Law: Post-Brexit legislation maintaining relevant EU competition and employment law principles in UK law
