NU Online News Service, Feb. 28, 2:38 p.m.EST

Crump Property & Casualty said it has reached a “standstillagreement” with a former employee and a competitor, Ryan SpecialtyGroup's R-T Specialty LLC (RTS), pending the outcome oflitigation.

As part of the pact, RTS and Crump’s former employee agreed notto solicit wholesale brokerage business from certain accounts fortwo years or until litigation is concluded, according to Crump.

Crump P&C, part of the Roseland, N.J.-based Crump Group,said its unnamed former employee left the company on Dec. 31, 2010to go to RTS, Chicago. Crump then sued the former employee in Texasstate court for breach of his non-solicitation agreement. CrumpP&C has offices in Dallas and Houston.

Then Crump said it filed a temporary restraining order to blockthe former employee and RTS from taking Crump clients.

Crump said its former employee also agreed to not solicit Crumpemployees and honor his obligation to not share Crump’sconfidential information.

Last year, a district court judge would not grant wholesale broker CRC InsuranceServices Inc. an injunction against former employees at RTS.

CRC's request stems from the resignation of more than 120employees on or about May 4. The brokerage then filed a lawsuitagainst the Ryan group and the former CRC employees, looking toenforce the confidentiality and non-solicitation agreements theysigned. CRC said 39 employees also signed non-compete agreements.The injunction looked to stop them all from working for RTS, butwith the ruling, the former employees now at RTS will remainemployed.