Westlake Investments, the recipient of what was believed to be a record-setting state court award last year in a construction defect lawsuit, is in federal court today after accusing a former employee of gaining unauthorized access to a software program that helps manage the 300-unit condominium complex in West Des Moines and using the information to assist his current employer, Renters Warehouse Iowa, as it competes for the property management business. According to the lawsuit, use of the software is a violation of the federal Stored Communications Act. Last year, Westlake won a jury award of $12.4 million against National Surety, a company that held the excess liability insurance contract for the St. Louis company that built the complex. Westlake sued the contractor and other companies for construction defects. A negotiated settlement was assigned to National Surety, which had refused to pay the damages.