Hartbeat loses bid to move employee lawsuit into private arbitration

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has denied a motion by Kevin Hart’s production company, Hartbeat, to move a legal dispute with two former employees into private arbitration. The ruling ensures the lawsuit will proceed in public court.

Hartbeat filed the complaint against former employees Eric Eddings and Lesley Gwam, accusing them of breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, and unfair business practices. The company alleges the pair used confidential financial data and partnership strategies from Hartbeat's podcast division to develop a competing venture and created an investor pitch deck seeking $2 million.

While the employees had signed agreements containing arbitration provisions, the judge found they made a “persuasive showing” that those provisions were unconscionable and unenforceable. Eddings and Gwam have denied the allegations, stating their work relied on industry experience and standard information rather than proprietary material.