There was a legal drama that just erupted in San Antonio when Tessmer Law Firm sued three of its former workers. The company states that these employees infiltrated a private Zoom session and stole the contents of the confidential transcript. Consequently, the company dismissed them and proceeded to sue them on grounds of trust violation, as well as under statutes protecting intimate communications.
The case poses a very important question of privacy in the workplace, accountability of employees and the responsibilities of employees working at professional service firms.
What Happened: Private Zoom Leak
According to court records, the owner of Tessmer Law Firm held a private Zoom meeting with senior team members on September 22, 2025. That was to be a confidential meeting. But three employees, one of whom had recently resigned, and two others who had been fired, claimed to have intercepted the meeting transcript and e-mailed it to other employees. According to the firm, it was a grave invasion of privacy. It is stated that employees duplicated confidential data, which could have contained company strategies or confidential messages.
The company fired two workers and found out that a third one had resigned within days. Thereafter, Tessmer Law Firm filed a lawsuit in the state district court on September 26. It has several counts in the complaint: breach of fiduciary duty, theft of firm property, and violations of state and federal wiretap acts, as recording and retransmitting a confidential communication without permission can constitute a violation of the law.
The company is also demanding unspecified damages, such as the amount spent in investigating the leak and in reinstating security, punitive damages and statutory fines under wiretap law (up to $10,000 per violation). A judge also issued a temporary restraining order, prohibiting the defendants from sharing or deleting any further communications of the firm.
The Importance of the Case
This case is important because it demonstrates how seriously some companies take data privacy and staff trust, particularly in the legal field, where confidentiality is paramount. A lot of law firms keep very sensitive data, such as client data, case plans, internal messages, and even personal data of the clients and employees. Betrayal of such trust by people within the firm jeopardises the firm’s reputation and legal ethics.
To you, as an employee (or a prospective employee of a law firm), this case is a lesson. The issue of secrecy is very serious. Unauthorised access to private files or transcripts has serious legal and professional implications. On a larger scale, it is an indication that companies could react vigorously to such violations, not just by dismissing them, but also by suing and filing criminal charges when laws are violated.
What is PLLC and PC, And Might It Impact the Case?
When it comes to law, medicine, and other licensed professions, companies select business structures such as Professional Limited Liability Companies (PLLCs) or Professional Corporations (PCs) when formalising their businesses. This is meant to comply with regulatory, liability, and taxation requirements. So, what’s the difference between PLLC and PC and why mention this here?
A PLLC offers limited liability against business debts and obligations. It is not very rigid and is usually taxed as a pass-through entity. The profit is directly taxed on the members’ individual tax returns. The management can be flexible, allowing members to manage the company directly or assign a manager.
A PC is more professional. It has to be corporate, with shareholders, a board of directors, bylaws, formal meetings, and even stricter compliance. By default, PCs commonly suffer a form of double taxation. The corporation pays corporate income tax, and then the shareholders pay tax on dividends again, unless the company opts for S-corporation status.
Interestingly, the law firm’s name is Tessmer Law Firm PLLC. Thus, Tessmer has members who are licensed lawyers or professionals. Weaknesses in corporate bylaws may be used to explain arrangements regarding confidentiality, data management, and discipline that are based on internal records and operating documents. This may affect the way the company will treat employees, implement privacy policies and sue.
However, professional misconduct or a privacy infringement can result in personal liability for the individual who committed it. This could be the reason why Tessmer Law Firm responded adversely by deploying the legal means available to defend the interests of the firm.