Non-disclosure agreements are a legal contract. If broken, the aggrieved party can take legal action; they should spell out what will happen if breached. Commonly, claims stemming from broken NDAs include: Breach of the contract.
No business is safe from the potential of a lawsuit. Some owners mistakenly think that having non-disclosure agreements can help protect them in a legal situation. However, while an NDA can safeguard confidential information, it has limitations in legal proceedings.
The NDA should keep the information confidential For a non-disclosure agreement to hold up in court, the information it stated as confidential must remain as such. If the disclosing party shares that information with others, the validity of the NDA may be challenged.
Talking to a lawyer about private company matters is never a breach of your NDA.
Massachusetts Law on Non-Disclosure Agreements: If you violate the provisions of a legally valid non-disclosure clause, your employer may sue to enjoin your activities and prevent you from continuing to engage in wrongdoing.
NDAs cannot prevent employees from using general knowledge or skills gained through experience in future employment. If the information is not truly a trade secret, the NDA may not be enforceable.
Generally, NDAs will be enforced by a court, but some statutes and public policy may prevent the enforcement of an NDA. For example, many NDAs will be voided or partially so regarding criminal acts. Often NDAs may be unenforceable unless certain procedural requirements are met.
NDAs are enforceable when they are signed — if they are properly drafted and executed. NDAs are enforceable once signed, provided they have been drafted and executed properly. Unilateral NDAs need only the signature of the receiving party, whereas mutual non-disclosure agreements need the signatures of both parties.
Massachusetts is one of few states that still follows a legal rule known as caveat emptor, or "buyer beware." This basically mean there is not a lot a home seller is legally required to disclose to the buyer when selling a property.
Typically, a legal professional writing the NDA will complete these steps: Step 1 - Describe the scope. Which information is considered confidential? ... Step 2 - Detail party obligations. Step 3 - Note potential exclusions. Step 4 - Set the term. Step 5 - Spell out consequences.