EDWARDS II v. ANDERSEN LLP PART-I

EDWARDS II v. ANDERSEN LLP <h1>Filed 8/30/06</h1> CERTIFIED FOR PARTIAL PUBLICATION<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">*</a> IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT DIVISION THREE <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="672"> <tr> <td width="336" valign="top"> RAYMOND EDWARDS II, Plaintiff and Appellant, v. ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP, Defendant and Respondent. </td> <td width="336" valign="top"> B178246 (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. BC294853) </td> </tr> </table> APPEAL from a judgment of the <a href="http://www.mcmillanlaw.us/">Superior Court of Los Angeles County</a>, Andria K. Richey, Judge. Affirmed in part and reversed in part, and remanded for further proceedings. Law Offices of Richard A. Love, Richard A. Love and Beth A. Shenfeld, for Plaintiff and Appellant. Latham & Watkins LLP, Wayne S. Flick and Yury Kapgan, for Defendant and Respondent. _________________________ INTRODUCTION Plaintiff and appellant Raymond Edwards II (Edwards) was hired by Arthur Andersen LLP (Andersen) in 1997. At the time he was hired, Edwards was required by Andersen to execute a <a href="http://www.fearnotlaw.com/">noncompetiton agreement</a>, which prohibited him from working for or soliciting certain categories of Andersen clients for limited periods after his termination. Andersen eventually went out of business and sold its practice to various entities. <a href="http://www.mcmillanlaw.us/">Andersen's Los Angeles tax practice</a>, of which Edwards was a part, was sold to HSBC, which hired Andersen's Los Angeles office personnel. As a condition of hire with HSBC, however, Andersen allegedly required that Edwards obtain a release of the 1997 noncompetition agreement. To do so, Edwards was required to execute a â€