Top Houston broker and past CBRE Vice Chairman Lucian Bukowski is suing his former firm, alleging CBRE fired him and revoked access to client files he has a contractual right to.
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Bukowski joined Stream Realty Partners on Monday, the same day he filed suit in Harris County District Court, after CBRE fired him on Friday, Bukowski confirmed to Bisnow. Stream hired Bukowski and three former CBRE team members, with Bukowski joining as vice chairman of Stream's Houston office, according to a emailed news release.
“I didn’t really have a lot of interest in going back to work for a public company, although I was recruited by several of them,” Bukowski told Bisnow Wednesday. “I really wanted to work for a smaller, entrepreneurial company.”
He declined to comment on his lawsuit.
Bukowski had worked for CBRE since 2013 and was previously employed by JLL for about 12 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. He has completed 31 transactions over 100K SF and structured leases totaling more than $650M in financing, Stream's release said. He has also ranked among CBRE’s top 250 producers globally and was named NAIOP Broker of the Year in 2014.
In his lawsuit, Bukowski asks that CBRE initiate arbitration within five days, alleging that the firm banned him from the office and breached his contractual right to his client files after he admitted he was exploring other job opportunities.
CBRE said in a statement that the firm had “sound business reasons” for ending its relationship with Bukowski.
“His claims are without merit, and we will respond to them in a proper legal forum,” CBRE said.
Bukowski alleges in the lawsuit that he sought other job opportunities after clashing with the firm over issues such as treatment of women on his team, vaccine mandates and “unneeded debate about diversity and gender inclusion.”
Documents filed with the lawsuit include an addendum to Bukowski’s broker contract indicating that CBRE waived its right to enforce the nonsolicitation of any of Bukowski’s clients. The agreement also required that CBRE provide Bukowski with copies of his client files as long as Bukowski was not terminated for cause, the lawsuit states.
Bukowski claims in the suit that he was not fired for cause.
His former team of Abby Alford, Kylee Antweil and Marshall Miller also joined Stream as vice president, senior associate and associate, respectively.
