WME has hired an outside law firm to investigate claims of sexual harassment against veteran film agent Philip Raskind.
Raskind is continuing to work at WME while the investigation proceeds. Sources said the situation came to a head in recent weeks, prompting WME to initiate the probe by a third-party firm, as is the company’s protocol for sensitive HR complaints.
“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,” WME said in a statement.
Raskind has been with WME predecessor Endeavor since its early days in the mid-1990s. He’s a WME partner, repping such writer-director clients as McG, Matthew Vaughn, and James Mangold.
WME has also grappled with a very public sexual harassment battle involving another longtime senior agent, Adam Venit, who has been accused by former WME client Terry Crews of groping him at an industry event. Crews has filed suit against WME and Venit, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney is also reviewing the incident from 2016.
News of the Raskind investigation was first reported by the Hollywood Reporter.