NEW YORK, April 28 (Reuters) - Two agencies are staking a claim to high-fashion model Maryna Linchuk, and now the fight over her contract has gone to court.
DNA Model Management is suing Ford Models, one of its main competitors, for allegedly luring Linchuk away and damaging DNA's reputation.
DNA accuses Ford of tortuous interference with contract and unfair competition. It seeks at least $2 million in damages, according to the complaint filed Wednesday in New York Supreme Court. The lawsuit also accuses the model of breaching her contract with DNA.
Linchuk, who has appeared on the covers of Portuguese and Italian Vogue, signed an exclusive management agreement in 2006, the complaint says. Since then it says DNA has advanced "significant sums of money to Linchuk and on her behalf."
"From February 2006 to the present, DNA has invested heavily in promoting, marketing and managing Linchuk's career and professional image, preparing her for and helping her choose modeling assignments, shoots, etc.," the lawsuit says. "As a direct result of DNA's efforts, Linchuk has become a successful and sought after model."
She signed on for another two years in 2008, but on April 15 of this year, she sent DNA an e-mail saying she was thinking of leaving. Immediately thereafter, DNA received an e-mail from a representative of Ford following up on the model's request that DNA pass any bookings or options to him.
"Ford through its representatives solicited and induced Linchuk to break her contract with DNA," the lawsuit says. "But for said actions, Linchuk would have not breached her contract with DNA."
The damage goes beyond the broken pact with Linchuk, according to DNA. "Ford continues to contact DNA's business clients and contacts, advising of Linchuk's alleged dissatisfaction with DNA, damaging DNA's business reputation within the modeling community," the lawsuit says.
The case is DNA Model Management v. Ford Models and Maryna Linchuk, New York Supreme Court, No. 651113/2011.
For DNA: Russell Shanks of Cyruli Shanks Hart & Zizmor.
For Ford: Not immediately available. (Reporting by Jennifer Golson; Editing by Howard Goller)
