A wise lawyer (one of my partners) is fond of saying "An agreement is only as binding as the integrity of the person who signs it." Absent the integrity, the agreement will mean nothing to that person who will think nothing of turning his back on his obligation. But, this is why we have courts-- to enforce agreements.
Employers sometimes ask me whether it is worth the effort and expense of having a non-compete agreement prepared and signed by key talent within their company. Rest assured, non-compete agreements are still very enforceable in Virginia. A former employee violates a non-compete can find himself or herself being served with a lawsuit and eventually being subject to a court-ordered injunction under the right circumstances.
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