Judge's order stops ex-Mayo executive's work for competing firm

An Olmsted County judge has granted a temporary restraining order that prevents a former Mayo Clinic top executive from working at a competing company.

Mayo Clinic alleges Dr. Franklin Cockerill III was secretly hired by Quest Diagnostics Inc. but continued to work as the president and CEO of Mayo Medical Labs so he could steal trade secrets.

In the order, Olmsted County Judge Robert Birnbaum said Cockerill cannot work for Quest or have any contact with Quest pending a hearing on the merits of the lawsuit. The order also requires Cockerill to immediately return all confidential and proprietary information to Mayo.

Mayo alleges Cockerill attended confidential meetings before telling the clinic he was leaving. The clinic also contends he took at least seven clinic-owned small memory drives with him when he left.

In a statement, clinic officials said "by failing to disclose his conflict-of-interest, Dr. Cockerill's actions were in violation of Mayo Clinic conflict-of-interest/compliance policies that all staff members agree to on an annual basis, and have put at risk the business strategy of Mayo Medical Laboratories."

A spokeswoman for Quest Diagnostics says the company is still reviewing the complaint and does not comment on pending litigation. An attorney for Cockerill did not return calls for comment.