A former employee is embroiled in a legal battle against his previous employer, alleging wrongful conduct that forced him to resign. Bryan Younge filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County on August 26, 2024, against Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., Cushman & Wakefield of Illinois, Inc., and two former colleagues, Eric Lewis and Michael Schaeffer.
Younge's lawsuit centers around events from 2015 to 2016 when he was employed by Cushman & Wakefield. He claims that his territory within the Hospitality and Gaming Group (H&G) was significantly reduced without justification, leading to a decline in his performance metrics. The decision to reduce his territory was made by Eric Lewis, who allegedly harbored personal animosity towards Younge due to his success and compensation. In late 2015, internal communications from Lewis and another colleague, Marius Andreasen, expressed concerns about Younge’s performance and integrity. These communications led to the creation of a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), which Younge contends contained fabricated statements aimed at undermining his career.
The PIP cited various "Performance Discrepancies," including non-compliance with state licensing requirements and failure to follow group protocols. For instance, it mentioned that an audit found several of Younge’s assignments did not meet state licensing requirements and that he had prepared reports without involving the H&G Group. Despite Younge's repeated attempts to dispute these claims and seek revisions to the PIP, no changes were made. He eventually resigned from Cushman on March 21, 2016.
Younge’s complaint includes allegations of tortious interference with prospective economic advantage against Lewis and Schaeffer, intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED) against all defendants, and negligent supervision against Cushman for failing to discipline Lewis and Schaeffer. He argues that Lewis acted out of self-interest or malicious intent to harm his career prospects at Cushman. The plaintiff seeks damages for lost income and harm to his professional reputation.
In December 2021, the defendants moved for summary judgment on all counts. They argued that there was no evidence suggesting their actions were solely motivated by self-interest or malice. They also contended that Younge voluntarily resigned from Cushman after accepting a job offer elsewhere. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants on all counts except for tortious interference against Lewis and negligent supervision against Cushman.
The appellate court affirmed part of the trial court's decision but reversed others. It upheld the dismissal of the IIED claim but found that there were triable issues regarding tortious interference by Lewis and negligent supervision by Cushman. Specifically, it noted evidence suggesting that Lewis might have acted with improper motives and that Cushman's failure to supervise adequately could have contributed to Younge's resignation.
The case will now proceed on these remaining claims: tortious interference against Eric Lewis and negligent supervision against Cushman & Wakefield.
Representing Bryan Younge are attorneys whose names are not provided in this document. The defendants are represented by unnamed lawyers as well. The case is presided over by Judge James E. Snyder under Case ID No. 1-22-1524.