Cy-Fair insurance broker sues former employees

An insurance broker based in Cy-Fair is suing two employees, alleging they took work with a competing firm, violating their employment agreement with his company.

London American Risk Specialists Inc. filed a lawsuit on Dec. 29 in Harris County District Court against Robert L. Arnold, Jennifer Hauser and Wilson Smith Group LLC, alleging misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract and breach of contract not to compete.

The plaintiff says that Arnold served as president of his company between August 2009 and May 2010. Hauser worked at the company during the same time period.

LARS, the plaintiff says, was engaged in selling its business assets to IMS Insurance Market Solutions but the deal fell through. Arnold, who was in charge of the deal, soon resigned from his position and took a new job with LARS’ competitor WSG. Hauser soon followed.

The plaintiff alleges that the two helped bring business from his company to its new company, which violated a non-compete they had signed.

The plaintiff is seeking damages of at least $1.4 million, which includes actual damages, injunctive relief, court costs and other damages it is entitled to by the court. He also requests a jury trial.

The plaintiff is being represented in the case by Houston attorney Gregory M. Cokinos.

Harris County District Court Case No. 2010-83850.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Harris County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.