Corporate Investigations · Empire Investigation · Pittsburgh, PA
Non-Compete Violation Investigations
Non-compete and non-solicitation agreements protect years of investment in client relationships, proprietary processes, and trained personnel. When a departed employee violates those agreements — soliciting your clients, working for a direct competitor, or using your confidential information in a new role — the damage can be swift and significant. Empire Investigation LLC documents non-compete violations for Pittsburgh businesses and their legal counsel with evidence that holds up in emergency injunctive proceedings and subsequent litigation.
Non-compete violation investigations require fast action — violations are often most damaging in the first weeks and months after departure. Empire Investigation can mobilize quickly, establish surveillance, document client contacts, and build the evidentiary record your attorneys need to seek injunctive relief. We have worked on non-compete matters across Pittsburgh's professional services, technology, healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing sectors.
What This Investigation Covers
- Employment with direct competitors in violation of agreement terms
- Solicitation of former clients or customers
- Recruiting of current employees in violation of non-solicitation clauses
- Use of confidential information in a competing role
- Establishing a competing business during a restricted period
When This Service Is Needed
- A former employee is believed to be working for a direct competitor
- Client accounts have been lost following an employee departure
- Legal counsel requires factual documentation prior to seeking an injunction
- A former employee appears to be soliciting current staff or clients
Our Approach
We conduct structured, confidential investigations using proven methodologies and professional-grade tools. Every case is scoped carefully, executed with discretion, and focused on delivering actionable, documented results. We coordinate directly with legal counsel and executive leadership when required.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prove an employee violated their non-compete agreement?
Documentation of actual competitive activity — soliciting your clients, working for a named competitor, using proprietary information in a new role — is the core of any non-compete enforcement action. Empire Investigation documents this through surveillance of the former employee's activities, client contact research, analysis of publicly available information about their new role, and where appropriate, intelligence from independent sources.
Can a private investigator help with a non-compete lawsuit in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Empire Investigation provides investigation services for non-compete enforcement matters, working with your legal counsel to gather the evidence needed for emergency injunctive relief, preliminary injunction hearings, and trial. We operate within all applicable legal standards and produce reports formatted for courtroom use.
What if the former employee is working for a competitor but claims they're not violating their agreement?
The actual scope of their activities — not their claims — determines violation. Empire Investigation investigates what they're actually doing: who they're calling, which clients they've contacted, what role they're actually performing. We document the facts and let your attorneys evaluate them against the agreement terms.
Confidential Inquiry
Request a Confidential Consultation
All inquiries are handled with complete discretion. We work directly with executives, legal counsel, and HR leadership to scope engagements appropriately.
All inquiries handled with complete discretion.