Agent ordered to pay $514k after losing lawsuit against Morton

Literary agent Selwa Anthony has lost her lawsuit in the NSW Supreme Court against former client Kate Morton, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Anthony has been ordered to pay Morton $514,558 plus interest, with the judge concluding that the author’s cross-claim should be partly upheld.

As previously reported by Books+Publishing, Anthony sued Morton for an alleged breach of contract, claiming that Morton agreed to a contract by phone in 2002 that gave Anthony a 15% commission of all monies earned for the life of the works for which Anthony negotiated contracts—Morton’s first six published books. Morton, who has earned more than $17.3 million in royalties, counter-sued for a refund of up to $2.8 million that was paid to Anthony in commission, claiming that her former agent gave negligent advice on the negotiation of world rights agreements.

Anthony instigated NSW Supreme Court proceedings after she was sacked by Morton in 2015 following a 10-year professional relationship.

Category: Local news