Houston Commercial Broker Sues CBRE Over Client Files

A lawsuit in Harris County could determine how much control brokers have over their client files after jumping ship.

Lucian Bukowski, formerly with CBRE and now at Stream Realty Partners, sued his former employer on Feb. 10, alleging the firm blocked his access to client files in violation of his employment agreement, the Houston Business Journal reported.

Bukowski was terminated from CBRE a week before joining Stream. In an interview with the outlet on Feb. 11, he said he and his team moved to Stream due to its culture. The team joining him included Abby Alford, Kylee Rocher Antweil and Marshall Miller, none of whom are involved in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit does not seek financial damages but asks a Harris County judge to compel arbitration regarding the alleged contract violation. Judge Erica Hughes is assigned to the case. Bukowski’s complaint states his agreement permitted him to retain client files unless he was terminated for cause.

“No one wants to be involved in litigation, least of all me,” Bukowski told the outlet. His attorney, Mark Levine of Andrews Myers, did not comment.

Tensions existed between Bukowski and CBRE before his firing. He claimed the firm selectively enforced a Covid vaccine mandate, excluded him from the office and imposed political viewpoints. The firm required him to list his pronouns in his email signature and post an LGBTQ+ pride flag on social media, his lawsuit claims. He also alleged gender bias in CBRE’s Houston office.

Bukowski raised concerns about discrimination, and after confirming he was exploring other opportunities, he was terminated. He was then locked out of his work computer, which he claims breached his contract.

Bukowski has earned a name for himself in the Houston area, with $169.5 million in gross transactions, the outlet said.

— Andrew Terrell