Willis Towers Watson, a global insurance brokerage and risk‑management firm, has filed a lawsuit in Boston after 18 of its employees resigned within a 44‑minute window on August 19 and joined a rival brokerage across the street.
The mass departure began at 8:02 a.m. and concluded at 8:46 a.m., led by senior leaders Michael Scott and Thomas Grandmaison. Court records show the pair had previously moved together from Aon to Willis Towers Watson in 2022 as part of a 10‑person construction‑team shift. The departing group, primarily based in Massachusetts with others in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Alabama, had delivered insurance and risk‑management services to construction companies nationwide, generating more than $5 million in annual revenue for Willis Towers Watson.
Willis Towers Watson accuses competitor Lockton of orchestrating a “smash and grab” operation that violated non‑solicitation and confidentiality agreements. The two brokerages are located within close proximity in downtown Boston – Willis Towers Watson at 125 High St. and Lockton at 225 Franklin St. Willis Towers Watson, headquartered in the United Kingdom, reports roughly $10 billion in annual revenue, while Lockton, a privately held firm headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, generates about $4.5 billion globally.
In its court filing, the company seeks a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Lockton and the former staff, requesting the court to block further solicitations, invalidate policies written with the new employees and enforce disgorgement of any gains and relationships obtained by Lockton. Willis Towers Watson described the incident as “so brazen, severe and outrageous” and demanded significant judicial intervention. A hearing on the preliminary injunction was scheduled for August 26 but did not take place; both sides may be pursuing an out‑of‑court resolution, though the case remains open.
