A seller of copy machines is asking the court to allow it to question one of its former employees, claiming it has lost business after the employee allegedly utilized confidential information to steal customers.
Canon Solutions America claims it had employed defendant Ricardo Roland as sales manager of its Beaumont territory for more than 16 years before Roland resigned on Jan. 4, 2012.
Following his departure, Roland went to work for a Canon competitor, Hernandez Office Supply, where he allegedly began soliciting business from Canon’s former customers, according to the complaint filed Feb. 11 in Jefferson County District Court.
“Upon information and belief, Roland accessed CSA’s confidential customer database and misappropriated confidential customer information in order to negotiate new ‘trade-up’ deals with at least six customers on behalf of his new employer, Hernandez Office Supply,” the suit states.
Roland should never have utilized such information at his new employment because he had signed an agreement with Canon in which he was prohibited from using any confidential information he learned during his employment with the company at a competing business, the complaint says.
By using Canon’s secret information, Roland may have violated his contractual and common law duties, Canon claims.
In its court documents, Canon is seeking an authorization from the court that would allow it to take Roland’s deposition and to serve Roland with a subpoena.
Joseph G. Galagaza and Jessica Lee Freedson of Jackson Lewis in Houston will be representing it.
The case has been assigned to Judge Gary Sanderson, 60th District Court.
Case No. B193-920
Company claims former salesman violated confidentiality agreement
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