Cy-Fair IT company sues Memorial resident over trade secrets

An information technology company in Cy-Fair is suing former employees after, it says, they breached their employment agreements by conspiring to use confidential information to start their own business.

Cy-Fair-area Houston Computing Services filed a lawsuit on Feb. 14 in the Harris County District Court against Memorial resident Benjamin Tran, Aaron Hammond and Greenberry PC, in Cy-Fair, alleging breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, violations of the Texas Theft Liability Act, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contracts and conspiracy.

Houston Computing says that the defendants breached their employment agreements when they left the company in 2010, taking confidential information and trade secrets with them to start a business in direct competition with the plaintiff. According to the brief, the defendants used this confidential information, which includes pricing structures, customer and supplier information, to lure clients away from Houston Computing.

Houston Computing is seeking actual and exemplary damages, attorney’s fees and court costs. It is being represented in the suit by Houston attorney Susan Cates.

Harris County District Court Case No. 2011-09391.

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.