The months-long legal scuffle between Microsoft and Google over the search giant's hiring of former Microsoft executive Kai-Fu Lee is finally a footnote in history. Red Herring writes that the two companies have settled the pending litigation, but that the terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

In July Microsoft sued Google and Lee charging that he had breached his noncompete agreement by accepting a job as the head of Google's first research and development center in China.

The settlement likely reflects a September Washington state court ruling in which Judge Steven Gonzalez ruled that Lee could work for Google but not engage in "any activities competitive with any product, service, or project on which he worked or about which he learned confidential or proprietary information or trade secrets while employed at Microsoft."

In October, a federal judge in California stayed Google's countersuit against Microsoft, pending the outcome of the Washington state case. A full trial was scheduled for January 9.

Previous stories:

- Microsoft Wants to Settle Google Suit
- Frustration, Verbal Abuse Drove Lee into Google's Arms
- Microsoft's Ballmer: 'I'm going to…kill Google'
- Google Hires Grokster Lawyers to Fight Microsoft
- Microsoft Makes Google Countersuit a Federal Case
- Yahoo Recruits IBM Talent as Search War Looms
- Microsoft Beats Google in First Round of Job Fight
- Titans Battle for China: Google Countersues Microsoft
- Google Officially Enters China, Sued by Microsoft