Marsh moves nonsolicitation agreement fight to federal court
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Marsh USA LLC has moved a former executive’s lawsuit seeking to void his nonsolicitation agreement from California state court to federal court in San Francisco because damages likely already exceeded $75,000.
Marsh said in a recent court filing that publicly available information shows attorneys at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, which is representing Manpreet Gill, charge between $1,385 and $1,690 per hour.
Mr. Gill, who joined Lockton Cos. LLC as executive vice president of its global technology risk practice group on March 26 after providing consulting and risk brokerage services for Marsh for 20 years, is seeking actual damages and attorney fees under California law.
Marsh noted Mr. Gill’s request for attorney fees includes future costs as well as those already incurred.
“In cases such as this one, the fact-gathering, initial research, pleading drafting process alone can involve anywhere between twenty to seventy hours or more in attorney time,” the notice of removal says.
Mr. Gill sued Marsh on March 20, seeking an injunction finding that a nonsolicitation agreement he signed when joining the brokerage was null and void under California Business & Professions Code Section 16600. A companion to the statute required employers to notify employees by Feb. 14 that noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements were void, court records show.
Representatives for Marsh and Mr. Gill declined to comment.
