WTW unit accuses former producer, Alliant of poaching employees, clients

Clarification: The below article has been amended to clarify the current relationship between WTW and one of its clients. 

For the second time in less than a week, a Willis Towers Watson PLC unit sued a former employee and Alliant Insurance Services Inc. for poaching managed health care clients and workers.

In the lawsuit captioned Willis Tower Watson Midwest Inc. v. Kent Miller et al., filed Thursday in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, the brokerage said Mr. Miller breached employment agreements he signed as part of a promotion in March 2022 barring him from soliciting business from using confidential information, luring business away from restricted clients and encouraging fellow employees to leave the brokerage.

Mr. Miller was a producer for Willis Towers Watson Midwest and resigned in July 2024 but did not disclose his subsequent employer. The next day, Jan Mason, another WTW MW employee who worked directly with Mr. Miller, resigned with no notice. She confirmed that her resignation as well as that of Kenny White, head of WTW MW’s managed care practice, were going to Alliant, a direct competitor, court records show.

Chuck Maddon, another employee at WTW MW’s managed care practice, also left in July to work at Alliant, the complaint says.

Beginning in September, WTW MW began receiving broker of record letters from clients informing it that they were appointed Alliant as their broker. The clients included Valeo Behavioral Health, Evio Pharmacy Solutions and Shawnee County Board of Commissioners and resulted in $374,000 in lost business, court records show. Cox Health, another WTW client, notified the brokerage that it intends to issue a request for proposal instead of renewing with WTW MW in 2025.

MTW MW says Mr. Miller breached his employment agreements and his duty of loyalty and that Alliant engaged in tortious interference with contract.

Representatives for the parties did not respond to requests for comment.