Categories: OLD Media Moves

Maryland biz magazine dispute continues with rival publication

A dispute between two former partners in a Maryland business magazine has led to one of them starting a rival publication and a judge’s ruling allowing the new magazine to continue publishing.

Chris Hunterman of the Frederick Gazette writes, “On Wednesday, Frederick County Circuit Court Judge Julie Stevenson Solt denied RidgeRunner’s motion for a temporary restraining order against Tran, who has published several issues of 270inc. Solt cited the lack of a non-compete clause in the founding documents of Smart Company Magazine LLC.

“Mary Catherine Rader, managing member and resident agent of RidgeRunner and the publisher, creative director and editor in chief of Smart Company Magazine, acknowledged that, but said that because Tran is still part-owner of Smart Company Magazine LLC, ‘he still has interest and can still make a profit from the magazine.’

“But Solt also dismissed Tran’s motion to dismiss RidgeRunner’s counter complaint against him.

“RidgeRunner claims that Tran ‘negligently and willfully breached his fiduciary duties to Smart Company Magazine by covertly planning to launch a competing magazine.'”