A Massachusetts court has issued a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit filed by Brown & Brown Inc., alleging a nationwide employee poaching scheme by Howden US Services LLC, which consented to the order.
The lawsuit claims Howden orchestrated efforts to lure Brown & Brown employees and clients to bolster its US operations. Since Dec. 18, roughly 200 employees of Brown & Brown have joined Howden, according to court filings. The suit names Howden and more than two dozen additional co-defendants.
The Suffolk County Superior Court order bars defendants from directly or indirectly soliciting Brown & Brown employees while the case proceeds toward an evidentiary hearing on preliminary injunctive relief. It also restricts former Brown & Brown employees from soliciting clients for whom they provided services during the prior 24 months.
A handwritten note on the order permits individual defendants to continue servicing clients who had signed a broker of record letter as of 5 pm Dec. 29.
The court further requires defendants to return, within seven days, all documents containing Brown & Brown’s confidential information and any company devices still in their possession.
A procedural order sets Jan. 9 as the deadline for filings outlining the scope of the evidentiary hearing and any opposition to a motion for expedited discovery. A conference is scheduled for Jan. 12 to discuss the evidentiary hearing in more detail.
Rival brokers have alleged similar conduct as Howden built its retail operations in 2025. Aon Risk Services has filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York alleging that Howden and former Aon employees engaged in coordinated departures and attempted removal of confidential information ahead of their resignations. A judge in that case recently issued a preliminary injunction barring use or disclosure of Aon’s confidential data and ordering its return.
Most operating insurance entities of Brown & Brown Inc. currently hold Best’s Financial Strength Ratings of A- (Excellent).
