Aon sues former employees who joined rival
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Aon PLC last week filed a poaching lawsuit against four former transportation insurance executives who joined McGriff, the retail brokerage unit of Truist Insurance Holdings Inc., last year.
The four employees – Josh Thompson, Daniel Johnson, Annette Nitti, Jack Cole and Holly Williams – violated the post-employment client restrictions in the restricted stock units they have received, according to Aon PLC v. Josh Thompson et. al., which was filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. McGriff is not named as a defendant in the litigation.
McGriff said in June 2020 the defendants would join its transportation practices’ risk management/complex program division.
According to the Aon lawsuit, in the days before he resigned, Mr. Johnson, who had served as a transportation account executive, “accessed a host of confidential files,” including those of the clients he served and accounts of the other brokers who left with him.
The lawsuit said also the defendants have been soliciting and accepting business from clients and prospects they had solicited for Aon, of which Aon has developed “significant evidence.”
Aon also alleges that the brokers used social media, including LinkedIn, to contact Aon clients with the aim of violating and interfering with the RSU Agreements.
Aon charges the brokers with breach of contract, tortious interference with contract, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, civil conspiracy, and conspiracy to breach contract.
It seeks damages, including punitive damages, and injunctive relief as well as attorneys’ fees.
Truist did not respond to a request for comment.
