Judge issues restraining order in AssuredPartners poaching suit

A federal district court judge on Friday agreed to issue the temporary restraining order and expedited discovery sought by AssuredPartners Inc. in poaching litigation it had filed against a competitor and five departing employees earlier this week.

The ruling issued by Judge Robert C. Jones of U.S. District Court in Reno in AssuredPartners of Nevada, LLC vs. L/P Insurance Services, LLC states the court has determined in granting the TRO that “Assured is likely to succeed on the merits of its claims” and that the broker “will suffer irreparable harm” if the defendants “are permitted to continue misusing and misappropriating Assured’s confidential information.”

The defendants are ordered in the TRO to return all confidential information, and from destroying any such information that is in their possession pending their return, among other provisions.  It also calls for them to make themselves available for deposition within 14 days.

AssuredPartner’s lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday, contends that in addition to taking confidential information, the five employees who left over the previous week have been soliciting AssuredPartners’ clients.

AssuredPartners had no comment and the defendants’ attorneys did not respond to a request for comment.