After a judicial marathon lasting over 13 years, the legal team of TIU Group, together with the law firm Mușat & Asociații, secured a final victory in a landmark case concerning the sanctioning of unfair competition by former employees and the company they worked for (Avatar Security). The case was settled by the High Court of Cassation and Justice.
The dispute involved acts of client poaching and defamation committed by former employees of TIU Group, known in the market as UTI Group at the time the litigation began in 2012. The Supreme Court confirmed a fundamental principle for the business environment: loyalty and integrity are not optional, and violations carry serious consequences.
The case was particularly challenging in terms of evidence. In such matters, “direct evidence” is rare, and the facts are often concealed under the guise of normal commercial practices.
Supreme Court Ruling: The High Court of Cassation and Justice validated that, even in the absence of direct evidence, unfair competition can be proven through a coherent analysis of circumstantial evidence and the behavior of the parties over time. The Court ordered the cessation of the unlawful acts and held the defendants jointly liable for substantial damages (over 800,000 RON), covering the harm caused.
This decision sends an important signal: investments in people and client portfolios are legally protected assets that cannot be misappropriated through improper methods, representing a result that strengthens standards of integrity in commercial litigation in Romania.