Jury rules against Sun Solar in lawsuit involving OakStar Bank, ex-employee

Caleb Arthur: Sun Solar intends to pursue all available post-trial and appellate remedies.

Last edited 10:01 a.m., July 1, 2026 [Editor's note: An incorrect law firm has been fixed.]

A Springfield-based solar energy company is facing a combined $800,000 in damages as part of a counterclaim against it after a jury trial concluded earlier this month. 

A judgment was filed June 22 in Greene County Circuit Court against Sun Solar LLC following a June 1-9 trial in a civil case. Sun Solar sued former employee Adam Stipanovich, OakStar Bank and its renewable energy financing division BrightOak LLC, which the financial institution launched in January 2019. The lawsuit was filed in April 2022, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. 

According to the petition filed in 2022 by Sun Solar owner and CEO Caleb Arthur, Stipanovich was accused of violating the company’s nondisclosure agreement he signed when still a Sun Solar employee in March 2017.

Sun Solar alleges that Stipanovich “used, disclosed, transferred and divulged information, documents, records, proprietary/confidential information/documents and trade secrets about and regarding plaintiff’s solar finance/leasing business to OakStar.” The company also accused OakStar of coercing Stipanovich to leave Sun Solar in order to assist OakStar to develop a competing solar finance and leasing business and become a bank employee.

Stipanovich became president of BrightOak in 2017 after leaving Sun Solar, according to past reporting. BrightOak later rebranded as Lumifi, said Randy Scheer, an attorney with Baty Otto Scheer PC, representing OakStar in the case. 

The petition contained multiple counts against the defendants, including alleged breach of Stipanovich’s nondisclosure agreement, alleged breach of an employee’s duty of loyalty, computer tampering, malicious trespass and unjust enrichment.

At the trial’s conclusion, the jury returned a verdict against Sun Solar for its claims of breach of contract and breach of employee duty of loyalty, according to the judgment signed June 22 by Greene County Circuit Judge Joshua Christensen. The jury also returned a verdict against Sun Solar’s claim against OakStar Bank for conspiracy to breach Stipanovich’s duty of employee loyalty and its claim of unjust enrichment. 

At the time the lawsuit was filed, Arthur told SBJ that Sun Solar would seek at least $4 million in damages but added, “It could possibly go much higher than that.” By trial, the company was seeking $12 million in damages, according to Scheer, OakStar’s attorney. Sun Solar alleged in the petition that damages included lost customers and vendor relationships, business development costs, as well as future business opportunities and operations. 

Sun Solar is represented in the case by Steven Marsh and Jason Shaffer of Hulston, Jones & Marsh LLC, and Justin Perryman of Perryman Law LLC. 

While OakStar Bank CEO Mike Lawson declined an interview with SBJ following the jury’s verdict, he said in a written statement, “We believe the jury’s ruling reflects a fair and just outcome, and OakStar Bank is pleased with the decision.”

Brian Malkmus with Malkmus Law Firm LLC, who represents Stipanovich, also declined to answer questions for this story. However, he released a written statement on behalf of his client.

“My client’s perspective on this case is that he appreciates the jury’s attention and efforts at coming to the decision we have always known to be correct, fair and just,” the statement reads.

Scheer released a case summary to SBJ that he said he recently sent to legal publication Missouri Lawyers Weekly. In it, he noted OakStar Bank and Stipanovich asserted counterclaims in 2025 for abuse of process, alleging Sun Solar concocted its claims and brought the action for an improper purpose to pressure the bank to release Sun Solar from ongoing obligations related to agreements with OakStar to finance millions of dollars’ worth of solar projects it had sold to customers.

The jury found in favor of OakStar Bank and Stipanovich and against Sun Solar on the defendants’ abuse of process counterclaims. 

The jury awarded damages for OakStar Bank in the amount of $500,000 and $300,000 for Stipanovich.

Arthur declined an interview with SBJ but emailed a statement following the judgment announcement. 

“Sun Solar respectfully disagrees with the jury’s verdict on the counterclaims and intends to pursue all available post-trial and appellate remedies,” he said in the statement, noting the company has no further comment on pending litigation. “Sun Solar brought this case in good faith to protect its business and the rights of its customers. 

We remain committed to serving our customers and will continue operating throughout this process.”