Lawyers are reporting a surge in cases relating to trade secrets, intellectual property (IP) and restraint of trade.
But employment laws - by and large - remain on the side of the departing employee, experts say.
According to Rob McInnes, principal of Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers, there has been a rise in queries about what is a reasonable restraint of trade in employment and trade secret misappropriation by former employees.
"Often there is dissent about who owns the intellectual property rights in employee work product," he says. "Actual litigation has increased because of the tightening job market and rise in the 'knowledge-based' economy.
