Minnesota Lawyer and Finance & Commerce – Partner Content Author: Cody Nickel   On July 1, 2023, Minnesota became the fourth state to ban non-compete agreements. This past session, in S.F. 3852, the legislature sought to close a loophole it had identified in the 2023 ban: non-solicitation provisions between service providers and their customers, referred to by some as “shadow” non-compete agreements.   Effective July 1, 2024, this legislation banned the inclusion of restrictive employment covenants in contracts between service providers and their customers. Minn Stat. § 181.9881, Subd. 1, 2(a). The provision is retroactive. Any existing provision in violation of this statute is void and unenforceable. Minn. Stat. § 181.9881, Subd. 2(b). Furthermore, service providers with any such existing provisions have an affirmative obligation to inform their...