Pennsylvania decide Paula Patrick dominated towards Keller Williams BlackLabel and in favor of Serhant, whose eponymously named brokerage expanded into Philadelphia’s luxurious market in 2023.
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After 18 months combating in court docket, Ryan Serhant has received a authorized battle filed by a competing luxurious actual property brokerage over his agency’s entry into the Philadelphia market.
Decide Paula A. Patrick on Tuesday granted Serhant’s movement to dismiss the case earlier than it went to trial within the Philadelphia Court docket of Widespread Pleas.
Serhant was battling Keller Williams BlackLabel and The Rental Store after his agency moved into Philadelphia and recruited staff from the Keller Williams franchise.
The lawsuit accused Serhant and his Philadelphia workforce lead, Andrea Desy Edrei, of “plundering its clients, intellectual property, confidential information and personnel, while crippling its ability to operate.”
The case had been trending in favor of Serhant, because the decide had beforehand dominated that his workforce might proceed working in Philadelphia because the case unfolded in court docket. Each Serhant and his eponymously named brokerage, SERHANT., had been named as defendants, in addition to Desy Edrei.
The court docket had beforehand dominated that Serhant’s actions didn’t irreparably hurt BlackLabel. Tuesday’s order ended the case.
“An essential element of all of these claims is damages, and Plaintiffs have not provided evidence of what their damages are, or of a causal link between Defendants’ actions and any damages,” Patrick wrote in her ruling.
Serhant launched Serhant Societe Choose in April 2023 to serve the Philadelphia market.
After getting into the market, Serhant named Desy Edrei as working associate. Desy Edrei beforehand labored as managing associate at Keller Williams BlackLabel.
The businesses sought greater than $10 million in damages, plus punitive damages from Desy Edrei’s departure from Black Label in an effort to lead Serhant’s growth within the state.
BlackLabel claimed that Desy Edrei and others took commerce secrets and techniques and consumer data with them to Serhant. The decide stated proof offered in court docket disputed this declare.
“The Edrei defendants asset that Andrea Edrei downloaded her own client contact list from Constant Contact and brought it with her to Serhant,” Patrick wrote. “For all these reasons, summary judgment is granted on this claim.”
Serhant officers declined to touch upon the ruling, saying as a substitute that the order would communicate for itself.
BlackLabel representatives referred inquiries to their authorized counsel.
“We disagree with the Court’s decision and intend to appeal it,” Lewis W. Schlossberg, an legal professional representing BlackLabel, stated in an announcement.
Editor’s Word: This story was up to date with remark from BlackLabel’s counsel that was obtained after the article was printed.
