PwC is embroiled in a legal clash with a consultancy founded by one of its former executives, amid allegations that staff and clients are being recruited in breach of non-compete agreements. According to reporting by Times UK, the Big Four firm has sent formal legal letters to key employees of Unity Advisory, which was launched last year by former PwC UK chief operating officer Marissa Thomas and ex-EY UK boss Steve Varley.
Unity Advisory has already attracted a number of former PwC partners, drawing the ire of PwC and its UK senior partner, Marco Amitrano. Non-compete and non-solicit clauses in consultancy contracts, typically lasting 12 months to two years, are designed to prevent employees from joining rival firms or taking clients with them. The letters sent by PwC are intended to enforce these clauses and dissuade further defections.
Thomas, who left PwC in summer 2024 after being passed over for the UK chief position in favor of Amitrano, has positioned Unity as a disruptive consultancy aimed at mid-market clients, leveraging artificial intelligence and backed by $300 million from Warburg Pincus. The startup provides services ranging from tax advisory to dealmaking and technology, and its recruitment of former PwC partners underscores its ambitions to challenge established Big Four dominance.
According to Times UK, PwC has taken additional measures against defecting partners, including stripping some of private healthcare benefits and annuities, which in certain cases can exceed £1 million. Industry insiders note that such actions are standard when senior partners join rival firms, and legal letters are typically issued only if contractual obligations are breached.
A PwC spokeswoman told the Times UK that partners understand the responsibilities and restrictions tied to their roles, which are balanced by competitive rewards, and that the firm has a duty to protect its interests where agreements may have been violated. Unity Advisory declined to comment on the legal dispute.
