From question on Quora. Several attorneys addressed the legal side of this question, then I added my 2¢.
MVH. The bigger question is, from now on, how do you get your clients to identify with your company rather than with a particular employee. Do clients work only with one of your staffers, or do they draw on the team?
Some can be drawn away by the promise of lower fees, but a client who leaves solely on price may not be a very good client anyway.
This is a good time to ask your clients how you could serve them better. Give them a call; put in some face time. If they’re already grumbling about you, then they’re ripe to be picked off by a competitor, including your ex. In that sense, this event could be an important wake up call for you.
Sometimes clients come back after a time, because the newly independent guy cannot provide the level of service they are used to. Keep in touch.
And finally, sometimes you’ve just got to let it be. After all, how many of us started our businesses with a few customers from our former employer? It’s the chain of business continuity. Look at it as a form of giving back.
Then go out and beat this guy in the market place with your superior service!
