Alliant Latest to Sue Howden US Over Alleged ‘Smash-and-Grab’ Poaching
Alliant Insurance Services is the latest to join a group of brokers suing new competitor Howden US over what it calls Howden’s “smash-and-grab” strategy to take teams from other brokers.
The suit also names three former employees—Jessie Guerrero, Christina Murphy, and Sunnie Fairburn—all members of Alliant’s energy and marine team in Texas.
According to court filings in state court in Harris County, Alliant claims Howden US “orchestrated en masse resignations” by the trio using a gameplan “consistent with its nefarious attack strategy targeting other brokers.” The former employees violated employment contracts regarding competition, trade secrets, and confidential information.
Howden US, the new U.S. retail broking business of Howden launched in August with Mike Parrish as CEO, is also being sued by brokers, Aon, Marsh, WTW, and Brown & Brown. Marsh has filed one suit against Parrish and several other former employees, plus a separate suit against another group of former employees now at Howden US.
Related: Brown & Brown Files Suit Over Alleged Howden Poaching of 200+ Employees | Aon Adds to List of Brokers Suing Howden US for Alleged Poaching, Theft
Alliant said it suspected Guerrero was considering employment with Howden but he denied it when confronted. Nevertheless, he resigned with Murphy and Fairburn on Dec. 2, 2025. Alliant alleges the trio access, renamed, deleted and screenshot hundreds of files related to their clients at Alliant.
Alliant furthermore alleged in the suit that clients were leaving to rival brokers because of industry rumors it had lost its energy property team. Alliant said it believes the defendants spread the rumors, and that there was at least one instance in which one of the defendants tried recruiting an Alliant employee.
Alliant’s request for a temporary restraining order was granted by the court last week to prevent Guerrero, Murphy, Fairburn, and Howden US from using any Alliant confidential information. A hearing is scheduled Jan. 16.
This time last year, a federal judge extended an order blocking three Alliant Insurance Services employees from soliciting or contacting any current Marsh & McLennan Agency clients. MMA claimed Alliant orchestrated a scheme to poach some of MMA’s employees and solicit MMA’s clients.
Related: Judge Extends Ban on Alliant Employees Soliciting Marsh Agency’s Customers