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FLORIDA RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Western CPE accuses former employee of sharing trade secrets with competitor

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TAMPA – A Montana corporation is suing a former employee and a competitor over allegations the employee shared confidential information and trade secrets.

Western CPE LLC filed a complaint on March 23 in the Tampa Division of the Middle District of Florida against Global CPE Network LLC and Joy Heacock, citing breach of contract, tortious interference and other counts.

According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that it has suffered damages to its business, including but not limited to loss of customers, loss of sales and sales at lower prices. The suit states that Heacock resigned from the company in 2015 to work for plaintiff's competitor, Global CPE Network. The plaintiff holds Global CPE Network LLC and Heacock responsible because defendant Heacock allegedly failed to comply with their agreement that confidential information critical to the success of Western would be made available to her but must not be given out or used outside of Western’s premises. Prior to defendant Heacock's resignation, she allegedly used her company-issued computer to access and copy confidential records, contracts and information from Western’s computer system to use in her new position at Global.

The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks that defendants be preliminarily and permanently enjoined from using Western's confidential information, that the defendants be found liable and ordered to pay for all damages sustained by Western, attorney’s fees and costs and any further relief as is deemed just and proper. It is represented by Joseph Weissman of Johnson, Pope, Bokor Ruppel & Burns LLP in Tampa.

Tampa Division of the Middle District of Florida Case number 8:16-cv-00719

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