Lockton Cos. LLC and a previous govt who not long ago joined rival Alliant Insurance plan Companies Inc. are embroiled in legal disputes in California and Missouri centering on gender discrimination allegations and a 4-12 months noncompete necessity.
Sallie Giblin, who joined Alliant as an government vice president late previous calendar year, submitted a bias go well with in opposition to Lockton in December and final 7 days submitted a motion to dismiss the brokerage’s noncompete go well with versus her, which was submitted in November.
Ms. Giblin, who was a thriving San Diego-based producer at Lockton, was named a single of the 2011 Business enterprise Insurance policy Gals to Check out. She joined Lockton in 2006. In 2016, she joined the executive committee of the brokerage’s Pacific Collection unit, became a Lockton husband or wife in 2017 and was named president of the San Diego business office in 2018.
In her match, Sallie Giblin v. Lockton Cos. LLC – Pacific Series filed in California’s Outstanding Court in Los Angeles in December, Ms. Giblin alleges that as a chief at Lockton she was issue to gender discrimination and retaliation by other executives at the brokerage. In addition, she argues that Lockton’s noncompete agreements are unenforceable and that her dispute with brokerage really should be listened to in California. Courts in California commonly favor staff members in noncompete and nonsolicitation disputes with businesses.
Between other points, Ms. Giblin alleges that Lockton is a “raucous boys’ club” in which some executives engage in inappropriate conduct and males are promoted to the detriment of women of all ages.
In addition, she alleges that her accounts were insufficiently staffed following she intervened to protect against the choosing of two producers with a background of sexual harassment, she was excluded from several government committee choices and routines, and she was unfairly blamed for the lousy general performance and morale of the unit’s personnel added benefits division.
In September 2022, Ms. Giblin was taken off from the government committee. She resigned from Lockton on Nov. 29 and took a placement as an executive vice president at Alliant.
On Nov. 30, Lockton sued Ms. Giblin in federal court in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, in which the corporation is headquartered, stating it was trying to find to prevent her using private info to Alliant.
The go well with, Lockton Cos. LLC – Pacific Sequence v. Sallie F. Giblin, alleges that she refused to honor a necessary 30-working day notice period of time and manufactured promises of unfair remedy and discrimination from Lockton “as leverage to get hold of a release from her commitment not to solicit Lockton shoppers and other constraints.” Lockton imposes a 4-yr restrictive noncompete on associates.
Lockton alleges that Ms. Giblin made “a toxic do the job environment” immediately after her marketing and experienced formerly sought to leave the brokerage.
In the lawsuit, Lockton says Ms. Giblin was an “owner, Producer Member and Producer Partner” of Lockton rather than an staff and experienced obtain to sensitive aggressive information and buyer accounts.
Amid other things, the fit seeks an injunction barring Ms. Giblin from having Lockton clients, potential shoppers and employees right until December 2026.
A Jan. 31 submitting by Ms. Giblin trying to find to dismiss Lockton’s match, characterizes it as “speculative” and asserts that “Lockton has not alleged that any personnel or purchasers have been improperly solicited by Giblin or have been missing because of to wrongful perform.”
The filing also alleges that Lockton conflates “trade secrets” and “Confidential Information” under Missouri regulation.
Michael A. Sherman, a husband or wife at Stubbs Alderton & Markiles LLP, who signifies Ms. Giblin, explained the Lockton lawsuit is made up of “formulaic and meaningless allegations in their race for the courthouse.”
A spokeswoman for Lockton said the brokerage does not comment on pending litigation.
