LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – A fierce legal battle has erupted between publicity giant R&CPMK and newly formed firm 2PM Sharp, with R&CPMK accusing the startup of employee poaching, stealing confidential information, and orchestrating a mass exit of staff members. In dual lawsuits filed on Wednesday in both California and New York state courts, R&CPMK alleges that former executives, including ex-CEO Mark Owens, “orchestrated mass departure” of employees to help build 2PM Sharp at the expense of R&CPMK.
The lawsuit details the departure of 13 employees over just three days in October 2024. According to R&CPMK, these employees took with them key clients and thousands of proprietary company files, including sensitive information on media points of contact, bid proposals, sales strategies, and ongoing projects. The firm claims that this confidential data provides 2PM Sharp a strategic advantage, enabling the newcomer to “usurp business” and undermine R&CPMK’s hard-earned market position.
Owens, who was let go in January 2024, is central to the lawsuit. R&CPMK alleges that Owens began secretly diverting business to his new venture months before his termination, working with two key employees in R&CPMK’s talent department — co-presidents Jeff Raymond and Lindsay Galin — to plan the transition. Owens officially launched 2PM Sharp in May 2024, only two months after his final day at R&CPMK.
The lawsuit also highlights alleged misconduct by former employees, such as downloading thousands of internal files, including more than 11,000 by Raymond alone. The firm claims that this theft was part of an effort to give 2PM Sharp an intimate knowledge of R&CPMK’s business operations and strategies.
In addition to the mass resignation, R&CPMK reports that they began receiving termination notices from long-standing clients, many of whom were serviced by the departing employees. In one instance, a former employee allegedly emailed Owens a list of clients she intended to take with her to 2PM Sharp. The lawsuit states that the loss of these clients and the confidential data have caused R&CPMK to face potentially “untold sums in revenue loss.”
R&CPMK, representing over 400 high-profile figures, including Denzel Washington, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones, has been a significant player in Hollywood’s publicity scene since its formation in 2019 through the merger of PMK*BNC and Rogers & Cowan. Led by chairman Cindi Berger, the firm is fighting hard to protect its business and reputation, demanding damages and a court order barring 2PM Sharp from soliciting clients for at least a year.
The lawsuits accuse 2PM Sharp and the departing employees of multiple legal violations, including breach of contract, fiduciary duty, tortious interference, unfair competition, and unjust enrichment. At the center of R&CPMK’s argument is that departing employees had signed non-disclosure and non-compete agreements during their employment, legally barring them from soliciting clients or employees for a year after leaving the firm.
The lawsuit details how Owens allegedly encouraged his former colleagues to solicit clients and employees. R&CPMK asserts that the former employees’ actions represent a breach of loyalty and a calculated effort to take some of R&CPMK’s resources and business.
R&CPMK has built a reputation representing some of the biggest names in entertainment, including legendary musicians, top-tier actors, producers, and directors. Losing talent and clients threatens to disrupt the firm’s standing in the industry, especially if they cannot stop the alleged misuse of proprietary information.
The legal process is just beginning, and more details are likely to surface as both sides prepare for what could be a lengthy and complex legal showdown.
