NEW YORK — Moir/Marie Entertainment operated by sole remaining owner Lisa Marie sued former co-owner Steve Moir and his Moir Entertainment Aug. 18 over the two managers’ business breakup.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, states that Moir split the company earlier this year after secretly forming another company and taking MME client/producers Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots) and Phil Ek (Modest Mouse, The Shins) plus some employees with him.
Other high-profile clients such as Ron Aniello (Lifehouse, Guster), Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Black Eyed Peas) and Tom Lord-Alge (Blink 182, Avril Lavigne) then left MME for other companies. They moved to Nettwerk Producer Management.
MME alleges in the complaint that Marie began working with Moir in 1989, with Marie representing producers and Moir shifting his services from producers to industry executives. In 1996 they formed MME with the same responsibilities. Marie held a 50% equity share of the company and Moir with wife Susan Moir sharing the remaining equity shares equally.
When labels began consolidating, the complaint says, Moir began losing many executive clients and wanted to work with the producers. He then set up Moir Entertainment, taking confidential client information and interfering with Marie’s relationships with many top producer clients, MME alleges.
MME seeks an unspecified amount of damages for misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty and contract, intentional interference with contractual relations and other claims.
“The claims are without merit,” Moir tells ELW. “All clients went where they thought they would be best served without any interference. I am confident all of this will come out at trial.”
