FMC Technologies, Employee Force Cameron to Drop Non-Compete Suit in Texas

HOUSTON – Cameron International Corp. dropped a non-compete agreement lawsuit against oilfield services company FMC Technologies Singapore Pte Ltd and one of its employees after losing key motions in court.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas in Houston granted a joint motion to dismiss the case with prejudice. She previously found that Cameron’s non-compete contract was overly broad and rejected the company’s motion for an injunction to prevent former employee Steven Abbiss from working in the Middle East.

FMC and Mr. Abbiss are represented by AZA (or AZA) partner Todd Mensing and associates Sammy Ford IV and Doug Salisbury.

Judge Atlas rejected Cameron’s argument that Mr. Abbiss, who was responsible solely for Oman and Yemen operations, heard confidential information related to the company’s operations throughout the Middle East. The judge determined that what Mr. Abbiss heard was generic discussion and did not bar him from working for FMC in markets outside Oman and Yemen.

“We consider this a great victory for Mr. Abbiss. He has been vindicated,” said Mr. Mensing, noting that Mr. Abbiss was able to continue working for FMC through the litigation. “Cameron was overreaching and using this lawsuit to try to kill competition. We are happy to see it did not work.”

The online legal news service Law360 detailed the dispute in articles (subscription required) headlined “Cameron Drops Noncompete Suit Against Former Exec” and “Cameron Can’t Block Former Exec From All Middle East Work.”

The case is Cameron International Corporation v. Abbiss et al., case number 4:16-cv-02117, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

AZA, or Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, intellectual property, and business dispute cases. AZA is recognized in Chambers USA 2016 among the best in Texas commercial law; U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America as one of the country’s best commercial litigation firms for 2017; and Law360 as one of only 13 Texas Powerhouse law firms. National corporate counsel named AZA one of the country’s best in client service among law firms serving the Fortune 1000. Read more at https://azalaw.com.