According to this article by Evonne Liu in Crains, Jim Karas – celebrity personal trainer [pictured above]- is going after three fitness trainers who used to work for him at Jim Karas Intelligent Fitness. Karas has filed suit to stop the three trainers from poaching his clients. Karas, who has trained Hugh “Wolverine” Jackman, Candice Bergman and Emma Thompson, is alleging the trainers violated their employment agreements with him. Karas is also alleging that the former president of Intelligent Fitness, Phillip Chung, encouraged the three trainers to jump ship and join Chung’s Practice Fitness and Wellness Coaching. Chung’s business is located only blocks from Karas’ Lincoln Park location.

Karas is also alleging that before Chung left, he formed Practice Fitness with Tom Souleles, a former Karas client. Karas also alleges that Souleles was involved in the formation, financing and planning of Chung’s venture. Karas wants an injunction preventing the trainers from soliciting, providing or accepting fitness training services from Karas clients that they had regular contact with, while employees of Karas.

Interestingly, neither Souleles nor Chung are listed as defendants in the lawsuit. Both are named only as “respondents in discovery” – meaning that Karas can get their depositions and possibly name them as defendants at a later date.