In Maric Healthcare LLC v. Ramirez-Groothuis, the Delaware Chancery Court today issued a decision rejecting Maric Healthcare's claims against Perla Ramirez-Groothuis, a former executive who had opened a nearby opioid treatment clinic, that she had usurped a business opportunity, intentionally interfered with existing contractual relationships and prospective business advantage, and misappropriated trade secrets. While the court did find a narrow breach of fiduciary duty in soliciting a key employee, only some $1,600 was awarded as damages. Maric Healthcare had been seeking more than $4 million in damages. The court also denied Maric Healthcare's request for $1.258 million in attorneys' fees, noting that "Plaintiffs imposed significant financial, and frankly, emotional costs on Ramirez." 

"On behalf of Ms. Ramirez, we are happy with the Court's factual and legal conclusions," said Thomas P. Howard who represented Ramirez-Groothuis in the case. "We think the Court did a very thorough analysis and applied the law accurately to the facts in the case at hand. Our client can now focus on doing what she is best at — running drug treatment centers."