Studeo 55 Fitness Inc. is suing a former general manager for resigning at a crucial time and then allegedly soliciting a key corporate client to terminate its relationship with Studeo 55 and accept her proposal to run the company’s gym.
Studeo 55’s July 12 notice of civil claim in British Columbia Supreme Court alleges that Kelly Van Montfroot timed her resignation as general manager of a gym operated for gaming giant Electronic Arts Canada (EA) to hurt the company.
Van Montfroot was allegedly the gym’s point person in negotiating a contract renewal for when Studeo 55’s three-year contract with EA expired on August 31, 2013.
“It was understood and agreed between Studeo 55 and EA that EA would renew its contract for a further two-year term,” the company alleges in its lawsuit.
Van Montfroot resigned on June 14 and then allegedly started soliciting EA to not renew its contract with Studeo 55 and instead have Van Mont-froot run its fitness facility.
Studeo 55 is seeking an accounting and tracing of all profits or benefits that Van Montfroot derived from her alleged solicitation of Studeo 55’s clients and members and an order requiring her to disgorge all of those “wrongful” profits to Studeo 55.
It also is asking the court to order the return of all confidential information and other proprietary information of Studeo 55 allegedly in her possession to Studeo 55, as well as a permanent injunction restraining Van Montfroot from soliciting Studeo 55’s employees to breach their employment contracts with the gym.
None of the allegations has been proven in court.
No statement of defence had been filed by press time. •
