Non-competes for in-house counsel raise unique issues. In some common circumstances they can even be unenforceable and raise ethical issues for an in-house attorney. Check out this recent article on the topic at Law360. When in doubt, do some research on your local rules and get professional advice:
“Most in-house attorneys believe noncompete agreements don’t apply to them, but experts say there are plenty of circumstances that can limit the lawyers’ freedom to take a new job. Compared with most of corporate America, there are significant limits to the way employers can restrict in-house counsel’s work, and those restrictions may come into play when company lawyers jump ship — an increasingly common scenario in a traditionally stable profession.”
Read: Why GCs Should Think Twice Before Signing A Noncompete at Law360 (reg. req.)