It is also important for the restriction to be reasonable in geographic scope and in its duration. In specifying a geographic area in which a former employee can’t practice for a certain period of time, most practices just draw a wide circle on a map to establish their territory. However, this often is dangerous. The premise behind the noncompete is that the medical group has a certain specifically defined market in which it has achieved demonstrated market penetration, and that it is unfair for the former employee to appropriate this market for his or her own purposes. Thus, the restricted geographic area must truly reflect the medical group’s market penetration.