Pennsylvania decide Paula Patrick dominated in opposition to 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 preventing in courtroom, Ryan Serhant has gained a authorized battle filed by a competing luxurious actual property brokerage over his agency’s entry into the Philadelphia market.
Choose Paula A. Patrick on Tuesday granted Serhant’s movement to dismiss the case earlier than it went to trial within the Philadelphia Courtroom of Widespread Pleas.
Serhant was battling Keller Williams BlackLabel and The Apartment Store after his agency moved into Philadelphia and recruited staff from the Keller Williams franchise.
The lawsuit accused Serhant and his Philadelphia crew 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 crew may proceed working in Philadelphia because the case unfolded in courtroom. Each Serhant and his eponymously named brokerage, SERHANT., have been named as defendants, in addition to Desy Edrei.
The courtroom 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 coming 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 info with them to Serhant. The decide mentioned proof introduced in courtroom 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 an alternative 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 lawyer representing BlackLabel, mentioned in a press release.
Editor’s Notice: This story was up to date with remark from BlackLabel’s counsel that was acquired after the article was revealed.
