Robert

I agree with Ginny that non-competes would be a potential area for
empirical research.

There have been several articles addressing the economic effects of state
policies on employee non-compete agreements. One of the most interesting is
Professor Gilson's piece in the New York University Law Review titled "The
Legal Infrastructure of High Technology Industrial Districts: Silicon
Valley, Route 128, and Covenants Not to Compete." (74 NYULV 575). He takes
the position that California's restrictive approach to employee
non-competes has had a positive impact on the success of the high
technology sector in the state.

Michael


At 03:04 PM 3/23/2004 -0500, you wrote:
>The enforceability and permissible breadth of covenants not to compete.
>
>Ginny
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>Robert Bird
>To: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 1:31 PM
>Subject: Finance / Employment Law empirical research
>
>
>
>Hello everyone,
>
>I have joined up with a finance colleague of mine (a good researcher whose
>last hit was in the Journal of Finance) to design and test emprical
>questions involving the intersection of employment laws and the financial
>performance of the firm.  Specifically, we want to look at whether or not
>the strength of state wrongful discharge laws adversely affects the
>efficacy of a firm with employees in that state.  Has this research been
>done before?  Are their other employment laws that might vary according to
>states that might be testable in this fashion?  Are they any obvious
>challenges with such a research question?
>
>Thanks for the help.... Less than five months to Ottawa!
>
>Robert C. Bird, J.D., M.B.A.
>Assistant Professor
>Department of Finance & Legal Studies
>Seton Hall University
>email: [log in to unmask]

Michael Garrison
Professor of Business Law
Department of Management, Marketing, and Finance
College of Business Administration
North Dakota State University
PO Box 5137
Fargo, ND 58105-5137
701-231-7509