By DAVID YATES
A Houston personal injury law firm recently sued one of its former attorneys for allegedly seeking to court its clients.
Daspit Law Firm filed suit against Nicholas Wagoner and his firm, The Wagoner Law Firm, on June 3 in Harris County District Court.
Daspit Law Firm specializes in representing individuals injured as a result of negligence. In the course of representing its clients, the firm has built a database, which only trusted associates can access.
Wagoner, who had access to those files, had been working for the firm for approximately four months in an at-will associate capacity before being terminated on May 22.
On June 2 Wagoner notified the firm’s founder, John Daspit, via e-mail that he wished to send a joint letter to all Daspit Law Firm clients on whose files he did any work on to ask them to choose who they wish to represent them, Daspit or Wagoner.
“This e-mail essentially confesses to the attempted theft of DLF clients and proprietary information and defendant Wagoner’s breach of fiduciary duties,” the suit states. “Wagoner stated that he had discussed his departure with clients in the interim and he had proposed that they end their business with DLF and instead hire him.”
Daspit Law Firm accuses Wagoner of attempting to “court business away” from the firm and believes he may be in wrongful possession of sensitive personal information, such as social security and driver’s license numbers.
The firm has already obtained a temporary restraining order and seeks a permanent injunction, plus monetary damages and attorney’s fees.
Daspit Law Firm is represented by Michael Pierce, attorney for the Houston law firm Pierce Skrabanek Bruera.
Case No. 2015 31736