William Morris Endeavor has enlisted an independent law firm to investigate partner Philip Raskind following accusations of workplace harassment, TheWrap has learned.
WME hired Fromholz Firm, led by attorney Anne Fromholz, which specializes in employment issues.
Details of the investigation and the accusations are not known, but individuals close to the matter told The Hollywood Reporter the inquiry involves accusations of sexual misconduct with fellow employees.
A spokesperson for WME told TheWrap, “We do not comment on individual HR matters, however we do treat all claims of misconduct seriously, and take action based on the findings of a thorough investigation.”
Raskind is a partner in WME’s motion picture literary department and his clients include writer-directors James Mangold and Kevin Smith.
Raskind joined WME when it was just the Endeavor Talent Agency in the mid-1990s.
In October, former WME client Terry Crews accused agent Adam Venit of sexual assaulting him in 2016. Crews has publicly stated that Venit groped his genitals at a party.
WME completed a two-week investigation into Venit’s conduct and stripped him of his position as head of the agency’s motion picture group, opting to keep him on as an agent. The actor then dropped WME as his agency.
Last week, the LAPD confirmed that it had submitted Crews’ sexual assault case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office for possible prosecution.
Many companies, including CAA, APA and ICM, in Hollywood are taking claims of sexual harassment more seriously since the scandal involving Harvey Weinstein and the subsequent #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.
In the past, some employees accused have been cleared of wrongdoing, while others have been terminated or demoted (like Venit).
A representative for the Fromholz Firm has not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.