cherrybim:
If you think it is inappropriate for a Merril employee to quit the firm and open his own competing financial firm, or any similar scenario whether it is with a multinational corporation or a heimisha mom-and-pop shop, I think you are disagreeing with the common sense of 99% of the population. There are not too many people who will fault such a person for going in to business for himself rather than remaining an employee for someone else. Nor will 99% of companies hold it against them. I would venture to say most major corporations today were founded by entrepreneurs who were previously employed by competing firms.