A legal struggle between insurance and surety brokerages Aon and Alliant entered a new contentious phase on Jan. 17 as attorneys for both sides clashed in a Manhattan courtroom over e-mailed party invitations. The wrangling over the invitations is the latest episode in a complex battle over the alleged poaching of 60 employees and 100 accounts from Aon by Alliant.
Had the party invitations been sent to contractors by a former Aon employee who switched last June to work for competitor Alliant? Did the invitations constitute a solicitation that violated non-compete clauses in employment contracts signed by some of the key former Aon executives?