18 WTW agents resign en masse and join Lockton; firm alleges $5 million client loss
On August 19, 2026, 18 employees at Willis Towers Watson (WTW) in Boston resigned within a span of just 44 minutes. The group immediately joined Lockton, WTW's direct competitor located next door. According to reports, the departing agents allegedly took with them clients generating over $5 million annually for WTW. In response, WTW filed a lawsuit against Lockton and its employees, accusing them of engaging in 'brazen, severe, and outrageous' conduct by poaching both staff and client relationships. WTW is seeking legal action to prevent Lockton from servicing the accounts taken over by the former agents and to stop further solicitation of clients or employees. The company argues that this mass exodus was a coordinated effort to undermine its business. However, labor experts suggest that while unusual, such behavior may not be illegal unless there were breaches of confidentiality or contractual obligations involved. The case remains unresolved as no court hearing has yet taken place.
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