Marsh sues Aon over hiring of construction exec

Marsh USA LLC filed a lawsuit Thursday in federal court in New York alleging that rival Aon Risk Services Cos. Inc. poached construction executive Robert McDonough, who convinced 19 other team members to resign within 38 minutes on March 10.

In addition to convincing Marsh’s construction surety members to leave the brokerage, the complaint in Marsh USA LLC v. Aon Risk Services Cos. Inc. et al. claims that Mr. McDonough convinced some of Marsh’s existing clients to start doing business with Aon.

Marsh alleges that Mr. McDonough’s conduct violated the nonsolicitation and nondisclosure agreements he signed before he began his employment with the brokerage in March 2016.

New York-based Mr. McDonough, who joined Aon March 10, allegedly accessed and used confidential information about Marsh’s personnel to convince members of the construction surety team to leave the brokerage and used proprietary information about its book of business to encourage clients to do business with Aon.

Marsh says Aon participated in the alleged scheme to raid its construction surety team and enlisted Mr. McDonough as the “inside man” based on his knowledge of Marsh’s confidential information and employee relationships.

Marsh seeks injunctive relief as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

A spokesperson for Marsh declined comment. A spokesperson for Aon also declined comment.