CHARLESTON – One of the former owners of Harper Engineering in St. Albans alleges his partners failed to compensate him for his transfer of ownership. 

Richard Standish filed a complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against Harper Engineering PLLC and Jason Harper alleging breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent misrepresentation, negligence and conversion. 

Standish alleges he and others formed Harper Engineering in 2007 and in October 2017, the plaintiff decided to retire and work as a part-time, at-will employee for Harper. Standish alleges he signed an agreement to withdraw his 43.9 percent ownership in the company and received $100,000. 

The plaintiff alleges the $100,000 paid to him was a distribution to a member and that the defendants refused to compensate him for the transfer of his ownership.

Standish seeks damages and all other just and proper relief. He is represented by John Gianola and James Gianola of Gianola Barnum, Bechtel & Jecklin LC in Morgantown. 

The case has been assigned to the Circuit Judge Carrie L. Webster.

<em>Kanawha Circuit Court case number 19-C-976</em>