while i was employee i had my own bissnes and my boos new it .after he fair me i call cople of hise cutomers to offer them my servise as independant dental lab he take me to cort for traing to solicitate his costomars.and i never had any contract with my ex boos not even a verbal contract
Absent a non-compete or non-solicitation agreement, so long as you weren't soliciting the customers while you were employed there, you have a fairly strong defense, but you need to make the proper arguments to the judge using the correct citations of New York law to persuade him to rule in your favor.
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Good luck!