Marsh unit files another poaching suit against Alliant

Marsh & McLennan Agency on Thursday sued several former brokers and Alliant Insurance Services alleging the rival brokerage encouraged the staff to breach nonsolicitation agreements.

The suit is one of at least three similar actions that the small and mid-market unit of Marsh has filed against Alliant since last December.

In Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC v. Alliant Insurance Services Inc., Andrew Oldenburg, Elizabeth McKinney, Kimberly Moore, and Danielle Black, filed in federal court in Manhattan, Marsh alleges Mr. Oldenburg led a raid of staff and clients at Marsh’s Beaverton, Oregon, office when he resigned to join Alliant in July.

Ms. McKinney, Ms. Moore and Ms. Black resigned to join Alliant shortly after Mr. Oldenburg and several clients moved to Alliant, too, the suit says.

“In the weeks immediately following Oldenburg’s departure, at least fourteen clients representing more than $600,000 in annual renewing revenue for MMA filed broker-of-record letters transferring their business to Alliant,” the suit says.

The brokers, who joined Marsh through its 2021 purchase of PayneWest Insurance, were under nonsolicitation and confidentiality agreements with Marsh, the company alleges.

Marsh made similar allegations against Alliant and former Marsh brokers in suits filed in December 2024 and February this year. The December suit was settled in May and the February suit is ongoing.

“Each time, the pattern has been the same: while still employed by MMA, the producer secretly pre-solicits clients and recruits colleagues; then, without notice, the producer abruptly resigns without notice; the client service team follows close behind; and the pre-solicited clients begin transitioning almost immediately,” the suit states.

Alliant did not respond to a request for comment.