PHILADELPHIA — A former employee countersued a manufacturing company alleging unlawful contract interference and restraint of trade resulting in the loss of business.
Thomas dePrince, Low Voc Industries, LLC., Barbara Egan and others filed suit against Cork Industries, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Oct. 15, alleging the defendant violated the Clayton Act, Sherman Act and unlawfully interfered with their existing business relationships.
Cork Industries had filed its own suit against the plaintiffs in 2012, alleging dePrince and the other plaintiffs violated the Pennsylvania Uniform Trade Secrets Act by trying to sell a certain wetting agent to Dixie Consumer Products, LLC for use in making paper plates.
DePrince, a former employee of Cork Industries, alleges that the company caused Dixie to cease doing business with him and Low Voc, which is owned by Egan, due to threats, intimidation and other acts of unlawful interference.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of $75,000, plus punitive damages, attorney fees, costs of litigation and other relief. They are represented by Michael Larosa of Larosa & Nastasi in Havertown, Pennsylvania.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case number 15-cv-05643.