Savvas Learning Company LLC has filed a legal complaint seeking injunctive relief against a former employee accused of misappropriating confidential information. The lawsuit, filed on February 13, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, names Katherine Lauffer as the defendant. Savvas alleges that Lauffer breached her confidentiality agreement by downloading and transferring proprietary documents before leaving to join a competitor.
The complaint details how Lauffer, formerly a Director of Product Marketing at Savvas, allegedly violated both state and federal laws by taking confidential information during her final days with the company. This included business plans and analyses of competitors' products. According to Savvas, Lauffer's actions not only breached her contractual obligations but also posed significant risks to the company's competitive standing in the educational resources market. "Lauffer’s misconduct is highly disruptive to Savvas’ ability to conduct business in a stable manner," states the complaint.
Savvas claims that Lauffer began working for Imagine Learning LLC, a direct competitor, shortly after resigning from Savvas on January 13, 2025. A forensic examination of Lauffer's company-issued laptop revealed she had downloaded nearly 200 files containing sensitive information about top customer opportunities and business strategies. Despite being reminded of her post-employment obligations via a letter from Savvas' counsel on February 4, 2025, it is alleged that Lauffer continues to use these files in her new role.
The plaintiff argues that Lauffer's actions constitute a breach of contract under Illinois law and violate both the Illinois Trade Secrets Act and the Defend Trade Secrets Act. They contend that this misuse of trade secrets endangers their customer relationships and damages their reputation within the education services industry. As such, Savvas is seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent further use or disclosure of their confidential information by Lauffer.
In addition to injunctive relief, Savvas requests an order requiring Lauffer to return all misappropriated materials within 24 hours and seeks any other relief deemed appropriate by the court. The case underscores the importance companies place on protecting intellectual property and maintaining competitive advantage through confidentiality agreements.
Representing Savvas Learning Company LLC are attorneys Ashley L. Orler from Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP in Chicago and Jacqueline C. Johnson from their Dallas office. The case is identified as Case No: 1:25-cv-01524 with Judge Rosamond Kane overseeing proceedings.