A Cautionary Tale of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Legal Field AI tools like ChatGPT are powerful allies to the legal profession, streamlining document review, organizing complex ideas, and offering new perspectives. Yet, AI integration comes with inherent risks that must be mitigated.

The North Carolina Business Court’s June 2025 decision demonstrates how poorly drafted non-compete agreements can fail entirely, while confidentiality provisions and tortious interference claims may still provide meaningful protection.

For large and small companies headquartered outside of North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as their subsidiaries or affiliates operating here in the Carolinas, engaging local counsel offers many strategic advantages.

This case underscores the importance of having robust evidence of specific violations when seeking to enforce non-compete agreements.