USI files two more poaching lawsuits against Alliant

Two more poaching lawsuits have been filed by USI Insurance Services LLC against Alliant Insurance Services Inc. in Arizona and California federal district courts.

Both cases involved former employees of Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA Inc., which USI purchased in 2017, who left USI to join Alliant. Charges against the defendants include breach of duty of loyalty.

In the Arizona case, USI Insurance Services LLC v. Alliant Insurance Services Inc., William J. Havard II, et al., which was filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix, USI charged Mr. Havard and Robert Engles, who were producers, with violating their employment agreements. Their wives are also defendants.

In the most recent development in the case, on Tuesday, Alliant filed its opposition to a USI motion to issue a temporary restraining order against Mr. Havard and Mr. Engles which, it said, would “prevent Alliant not only from employing Havard and Engles for 60 days after the date of a (temporary restraining order,) but also from hiring anywhere in the country any other USI employee .”

The California case, USI Insurance Services LLC vs. Alliant Insurance Services Inc; Eric Harper, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana on Jan. 30, charges that Mr. Harper, a former USI executive vice president and producer, resigned without notice on Jan. 23, with seven other USI employees resigning at the same time, and five more leaving two days later. 

USI filed a motion for a jury trial in the case on Jan. 31.

USI had no comment and an Alliant spokesperson could not be reached.

Last month, a Minnesota state court ruled in USI’s favor in litigation it filed against Alliant and a former USI employee who left to join Alliant.