Just days before the Big 4 agencies were facing a deadline to respond to the Writers Guild of America's anti-packaging lawsuit filed last month, the guild amended its initial filing late Monday with a constructive fraud claim that was quickly repudiated by the Association of Talent Agents. "This is a desperate attempt…

One $300 million legal dust-up between AMC and former The Walking Dead showrunner Frank Darabont and his representatives at CAA is heading to trial next year. But another lawsuit in the profit-participation dispute looks to be barreling towards a Hollywood labor minefield. "The dirty secret in Hollywood is that talent…

UPDATED with WGA statement, 6:17 PM: The Agency for the Performing Arts has added its name to the list of mid-level agencies saying they won’t sign the WGA's new Code of Conduct. "APA has no intention of signing the WGA's Code of Conduct, which in its current form will have a negative impact on our clients by limiting…

Now that Verve has signed the WGA's Agency Code of Conduct, speculation has begun about which mid-size agency will be next to sign. On Thursday, David Gersh, co-president of The Gersh Agency, denied rumors that his company might be next. "The agency has not engaged in any conversations with the WGA and continues to be…

In the aftermath of the WGA severing ties with the Association of Talent Agents and sending out 7,000 emails from members firing their agents, writers are getting used to a new and potentially uncertain reality. While firmly supporting their guild, many wonder exactly what WGA leadership’s endgame is in the standoff…

As the WGA's fight with Hollywood's talent agencies wraps its second week, the guild told its members Friday that its new Staffing Submission System is working and that it will expand access to the system ahead of next month’s ufpronts. The system, which launched on April 1 while the guild still was in negotiations…

The main battle between the the WGA and the Association of Talent Agents, which represents the major talent agencies, has been over two thorny issues: packaging fees and agency-affiliated production companies. The issues do not impact most of the 234 guild's franchised agencies, however. An estimated 94%-95% of the TV…

With writers firing their agents en masse in the ongoing battle between the WGA and the Association of Talent Agents over packaging and agency-affiliated productions, the burden of keeping the wheels of the TV and film business turning has fallen on attorneys and managers. The situation has created a legal dilemma for…

Good Friday has put Hollywood on pause for tomorrow, but today the Writers Guild said it has a very big Easter delivery for the uberagencies coming on Monday. It’s been nearly a week after talks completely broke down between the WGA and the Association of Talent Agents over the new anti-packaging Agency Code of…

(UPDATED with WGA statement) Hours after the WGA launched its expected anti-packaging lawsuit this morning against the Big 4 agencies, representatives for UTA, WME, CAA and ICM Partners hit back in a dispute that has Hollywood on the precipice. “This development is ironic given that the Guild itself has agreed to the…

The WGA will hold a news conference Wednesday morning to unveil "the next step in its effort to end the conflicted business practices of talent agencies in Hollywood." The guild has been involved in what it calls a "concerted action" against the agencies since talks broke off with the Association of Talent Agents on…

EXCLUSIVE: Writers who canned their agents this weekend and are thinking of enticing their lawyers or managers to negotiate new deals for them while the WGA and the Association of Talent Agents fight it out over a new code of conduct, better think again. "The word that is going out all over town to entertainment…