Kate, same situation I had many years ago, I built up a fantastic territory of advertisers, paper sold, new boss but it was his son he wanted me to 'GIVE' my contact list to. I did just that after sorting out and keeping the best ones for myself, ones I worked my butt off to sell and to keep happy. I turned in my resignation along with the partial list which I also doctored, changing a name or number here and there.

I kept my list on my own, there was no rule that said I had to, but I am so organized I just did it. I had another job before I hit the front door and took most of my clients with me.

What I did may seem petty to some but what they were trying to do was even worse. I was a mom raising two sons alone and I made sure I kept the food in their mouths and the clothes on their backs...

When someone is playing under-handed, using the fact against you that you NEED a job, its time to get tough.

Give what you get, I did and do to this day....