Former Microsoft VP Kai-Fu Lee, who earlier this month defected to Google, was yesterday enjoined by a judge from beginning his work at Google until the next round of legal arguments, in September, reports the Seattle Times. Judge Steven Gonzalez, saying that Microsoft's business could be hurt if Lee were to begin work as head of Google's new research center in China, granted Microsoft's request for a temporary restraining order to keep Lee from working on anything that competes with his work at Microsoft.

Microsoft sued Google and Lee after his departure, claiming that Lee had signed a one-year noncompete contract. Google argued that Lee's work wouldn't directly compete with his work at Microsoft since he had little to do with search at Microsoft.

Gonzalez banned Lee from accepting a job that involved computer search and speech technologies, business strategies, or planning and development having to do with search technologies in China.

The judge also barred Microsoft from destroying relevant documents and ordered it to post $1 million, to be used to pay for Google and Lee's costs and damages if it is determined the temporary restraining order was wrongfully granted, CNET reports. Google and Lee claimed that Microsoft's lawsuit is a "charade" intended to deter other Microsoft executives from jumping ship to Google.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/75701/microsoft-wins-injunction-against-google.html
PC Pro reports that in a sworn statement to the court, Lee declared that in a meeting on July 15, Bill Gates said he would be sued and that Microsoft planned "to stop Google."

Google has countersued in a California court, claiming restraint of trade and saying Lee had not broken his agreement with Microsoft as his specialty is not in search technology.

The two sides will return to court in Washington on September 6 to argue whether the ban on Lee's work should be continued until the trial, scheduled for January.