Paradigm Hires Bill Weinstein and Devon Schiff as Agents Following Verve Departure
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Paradigm Talent Agency has hired Bill Weinstein and Devon Schiff as agents in the literary content department.
The move comes weeks after Weinstein parted ways with Verve, the agency he co-founded with Bryan Besser and Adam Levine in 2010. In February, Weinstein filed suit against the talent agency, alleging that he was improperly ousted from the company on Feb. 19 by two partners who are looking to sell the company. He followed up with a temporary restraining order against Verve, requesting that his employment be provisionally restored in order to require the company, Besser and Levine “to engage in the contractually required dispute resolution procedure to which all parties agreed during the formation of the company.”
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On March 6, a week after filing the case, Weinstein dismissed the suit and the application for a restraining order. “The parties have amicably resolved their dispute and have reached a confidential settlement in principle,” said Devin McRae, Weinstein’s attorney.
Days after Weinstein’s exit, Verve agents Schiff, Matthew Doyle and Jake Dillman left the agency. At the time, Verve leadership said in a statement to Variety, “We are aware that Bill may be trying to create his own agency and we wish him the best. Since his departure Monday, we have let go of a few additional employees whose visions do not align with the culture and the future of Verve.”
In the weeks following their departure, Weinstein, Schiff, Doyle and Dillman were in talks to set up their own shop. With Weinstein and Schiff joining Paradigm, it’s unclear at this time where Doyle and Dillman will land.
Weinstein and Schiff’s hiring continues significant growth at Paradigm, marked by announcements that the company had hired Kyle Jensen and Chris Till, previously at Verve; Todd Eisner, previously at A3 Artists Agency; Brett Hansen, Jamie Kaye-Phillips and Neil A. Cohen, previously at UTA; and Varun Monga, previously at Kaplan Stahler Agency. Additionally, the agency has announced multiple internal promotions over the past year, including elevating 14 agents to partner.
In 2022, the agency’s parent company Paradigm Entertainment announced the launch of Paradigm Media Entertainment, establishing news broadcast and culinary talent representation businesses through the acquisition of Napoli Management Group, Two Twelve Management & Marketing and 3 Kings Entertainment.
“In this business, whether collaborating or going head-to-head, there is no denying the creativity, intelligence, and passion that Bill and Devon bring to their work,” Paradigm managing partnerAndrew Ruf said of the hiring. “This relentless advocacy on behalf of clients is a great fit with the artist-led approach that remains the core value of Paradigm. We welcome Bill and Devon to the team and remain committed to the continued growth and success of Paradigm.”
Weinstein said, “I have always respected Paradigm as a company and Sam Gores as an entrepreneur. I am grateful that Andrew Ruf and the leadership have welcomed me to join the dynamic team they have built. I look forward to expanding our collective network and delivering results for our clients.”
Schiff said, “I am thrilled to join the Paradigm team and their artist-first approach, which aligns with my mission to continue to advocate for clients with passion and intention.”
Weinstein’s career started at Endeavor in 1999, before he left to found Verve in 2010. Schiff was partner and head of packaging & crossover at Verve, with a focus on representing independent studios, production companies, and multi-hyphenate filmmakers. Previously, Schiff was an executive at Intermedia Films, and an independent producer with a deal at Disney. She began her career in the mailroom at William Morris, and as an assistant at Endeavor.
Weinstein and Schiff will be based out of the agency’s Los Angeles office.
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