Can I use a similar set of contracts/service agreements as my current company to start my own business?

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Can I use a similar set of contracts/service agreements as my current company to start my own business?

I work for a medical service provider. I do marketing and provide the service to accounts that we do business with. The information that I was given to market with explains how our accounts are able to collect a portion of what we bill out to insurance. The informaiton is a series of service agreements/contracts.

Asked on August 17, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Texas

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 7 years ago | Contributor

If you use their contracts/agreements as the basis for your own, you will be misappropriating (taking without permission) information or material you only had access to as a result of your employment for your own benefit. That is illegal--information and documents you see as part of work should *only* be used for work--and you could be sued by the former employer for compensation.
That's the law. Practically, they may not find out or notice, or possibly, if they do notice, care. It is a fact that many people use agreements from company A as the basis for agreements they later create or use for company B. That behavior is technically/legally wrong, but is common.


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