Google went headhunting, and now Microsoft wants Google's head. More accurately, Microsoft seems to want the head of Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, former Microsoft VP who accepted the newly created position as head of Google's China office, and reported to work immediately. Microsoft says Lee (with Google's assistance) violated a no-compete clause in his contract, forbidding him to start a directly competing job within a year of leaving Microsoft. Such clauses are not uncommon, and I don't doubt Microsoft put such language in Lee's emplyment contract. I also don't doubt that Google examined that language and became convinced it could circumvent it, or perhaps settle out of court for an amount that would make the whole exercise worth it.
