Former Marsh & McLennan Cos. executive Chad Karasaki violated his non-solicitation agreement when, after being hired away last March by competitor Aon Corp. to run its Honolulu office, he launched an effort to lure away 23 Marsh clients, a federal judge in Manhattan ruled.

U.S. District Judge John Koeltl ordered Karaski, who ran Marsh's Hawaii office before leaving for Aon, and his colleagues to stop approaching Marsh clients until Oct. 30. The judge directed Aon to pay Marsh's lost revenue and legal fees. Chicago-based Aon and New York-based Marsh are the two largest insurance brokers in the world.

Karasaki, in violation of his agreements, has participated in the direct and indirect solicitation of Marsh clients and employees and has openly violated his contractual agreements by working on that business at Aon, Koeltl wrote in his Oct. 30 decision.