Range Media Partners is striking back at CAA in their ongoing legal dispute, accusing the agency of double-dipping in its attempts to enforce non-compete clauses against former employees. The dispute centers around four former CAA agents — Jack Whigham, David Bugliari, Michael Sullivan, and Michael Cooper — who left CAA in 2020 to co-found Range Media Partners.
Range’s legal team argues that CAA is attempting to relitigate issues already raised in arbitration, which started in 2022. According to Range, CAA’s claims in the 2024 lawsuit mirror many of the issues raised in the ongoing arbitration, potentially leading to inconsistent judgments. Range is now urging Judge Mark A. Young to dismiss the lawsuit and issue a stay (a temporary pause in legal proceedings) until the arbitration concludes.
The filing states, “There is no reason to continue litigating these allegations when they may be decided in arbitration,” arguing that proceeding with the lawsuit would be a waste of resources. Range also maintains that any decisions made in arbitration should be final and not retried in court.
At the heart of the dispute is the allegation that CAA has used its dominant position in Hollywood to leverage non-compete clauses, which California law prohibits. Range argues that these clauses are weaponized by CAA to punish former employees, despite the law prohibiting such practices. The filing suggests that Range Media Partners and CAA should be able to coexist in the industry, as many other management firms and agencies do. Both companies share roughly 120 clients in common, with Range serving as a management firm and CAA remaining the agent.
An important hearing is scheduled for August 6, when Range will present its demurrer, a motion to dismiss the claims in state court. While no hearing date has been set for the motion to stay, this case continues to capture attention due to the high-profile nature of the parties involved.
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CAA’s previous allegations included claims that the Range founders used “spy-novel” tactics to avoid detection during their move from CAA to Range Media Partners. This included using encrypted messaging services such as Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram, as well as burner phones to conceal their actions.
In contrast, Range Media Partners seeks to shift the focus to CAA’s overreach, highlighting the career path of the four former agents, who transitioned from CAA agents to talent managers at Range. The filing emphasizes that the agents did not intend to harm CAA and believed the two companies could work in tandem for the benefit of shared clients.
The case continues to unfold with legal battles on both sides, as CAA and Range prepare for a drawn-out legal war over agency practices, non-compete clauses, and the rights of former employees.
