Michael Kassan and UTA Settle Their Differences a Year After Explosive Breakup
A year after Michael Kassan either resigned or was fired from United Talent Agency, the two sides have quietly settled their acrimonious litigation.
UTA bought Kassan’s management consulting firm, MediaLink, for $125 million in 2021. According to Kassan’s version of events, UTA honcho Jeremy Zimmer broke promises to foster the growth of MediaLink within UTA, and instead sought to trim expenses and boost prices.
UTA countered that Kassan was wildly overspending on private jets and other luxuries, costing the firm millions to underwrite his lavish lifestyle.
Kassan filed an arbitration claim against UTA on March 12, 2024, accusing the firm of breaching the acquisition agreement. UTA followed with a blistering lawsuit the same day, accusing Kassan of fostering a toxic culture, giving his wife a company credit card and paying for an apartment for Kassan’s driver, among other alleged abuses.
In the heat of battle, UTA’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called Kassan a “pathological liar,” prompting a defamation lawsuit from Kassan. The suit was later dismissed.
Judge Kerry Bensinger ordered the UTA lawsuit to arbitration, where cooler heads have at last prevailed.
Sanford Michelman, Kassan’s attorney, confirmed that the parties have settled on undisclosed terms.
“UTA and Michael Kassan have agreed to amicably end their dispute,” the parties said in a statement. “The parties are not at liberty to comment further.”
The two sides could agree on very little at the outset of the conflict. Kassan maintained that he resigned from the company, while UTA claimed he was fired for cause. Kassan also stated that he turned down a $10 million severance in order to retain his right to compete against his former employer, while UTA maintained that no such offer was ever made.
After his departure, Kassan launched 3C Ventures last year. The company is focused, naturally, on three C’s: “consulting, convening and co-investing.”
UTA bought Kassan’s management consulting firm, MediaLink, for $125 million in 2021. According to Kassan’s version of events, UTA honcho Jeremy Zimmer broke promises to foster the growth of MediaLink within UTA, and instead sought to trim expenses and boost prices.
UTA countered that Kassan was wildly overspending on private jets and other luxuries, costing the firm millions to underwrite his lavish lifestyle.
Kassan filed an arbitration claim against UTA on March 12, 2024, accusing the firm of breaching the acquisition agreement. UTA followed with a blistering lawsuit the same day, accusing Kassan of fostering a toxic culture, giving his wife a company credit card and paying for an apartment for Kassan’s driver, among other alleged abuses.
In the heat of battle, UTA’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called Kassan a “pathological liar,” prompting a defamation lawsuit from Kassan. The suit was later dismissed.
Judge Kerry Bensinger ordered the UTA lawsuit to arbitration, where cooler heads have at last prevailed.
Sanford Michelman, Kassan’s attorney, confirmed that the parties have settled on undisclosed terms.
“UTA and Michael Kassan have agreed to amicably end their dispute,” the parties said in a statement. “The parties are not at liberty to comment further.”
The two sides could agree on very little at the outset of the conflict. Kassan maintained that he resigned from the company, while UTA claimed he was fired for cause. Kassan also stated that he turned down a $10 million severance in order to retain his right to compete against his former employer, while UTA maintained that no such offer was ever made.
After his departure, Kassan launched 3C Ventures last year. The company is focused, naturally, on three C’s: “consulting, convening and co-investing.”