Disney’s bid to briefly block YouTube‘s hiring of Justin Connolly in a newly created function as world head of media and sports activities has been denied.
Los Angeles Superior Courtroom Decide James Chalfant on Wednesday concluded that Disney is unlikely to prevail on claims that YouTube illegally poached Connolly in violation of his contract with the leisure big.
Final month, Disney filed a lawsuit faulting YouTube for Connolly’s defection to YouTube to spearhead its media and sports activities division. It sought a short lived restraining order to forestall him from beginning on the Google-owned firm, claiming that he may leak confidential data or commerce secrets and techniques belonging to Disney forward of a licensing renewal with YouTube.
In a court docket submitting, YouTube argued that the order Disney seeks for Connolly to return to the corporate towards his will or stop his new place is prohibited underneath California legislation. It careworn that Disney knew for over six weeks that he supposed to depart Disney to affix YouTube, which means there’s no emergency for the court docket to concern a short lived restraining order. Connolly has been working for YouTube for roughly two weeks.
In discussions, Disney maintained that Connolly couldn’t work for YouTube as a result of he had a three-year mounted time period contract that hadn’t expired, in line with a court docket doc. It provided to launch him from his contract following the renegotiation of their licensing deal.
“We’re disenchanted in right this moment’s ruling, however will proceed to pursue our authorized cures,” stated a Disney spokesperson in an announcement.
YouTube declined to remark.