Final answer:
The partners of Morris, Newt, and Oppie, Ltd. may not be able to compel Trimble to return to work but can potentially seek an injunction to prevent competition or damages under the rule of Hadley v. Baxendale or liquidated damages, depending on the partnership agreement.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a partner, such as Trimble, breaches a partnership agreement by quitting and then competing with the former partnership, the remaining partners have several potential legal remedies. It is unlikely that the court would order specific performance to require Trimble to return to work for Morris, Newt, and Oppie, Ltd. because personal service contracts typically cannot compel performance.
However, the partners may have grounds to seek an injunction to prevent Trimble from competing with them, provided the partnership agreement included a non-competition clause and the injunction meets legal standards such as reasonableness in scope and duration.
As for damages, special damages might be sought under the rule established in the case of Hadley v. Baxendale if the partners can show that the losses they incurred were reasonably foreseeable at the time the partnership agreement was made. Liquidated damages could be another option if the partnership agreement specified a predetermined amount of damages in the event of a breach. Deciding on the best course of action will depend on the specific terms of the partnership agreement and applicable state laws.