According to the trade paper, Lane and William Morris clashed over "renumeration in contract renewal." Lane joined William Morris 13 years ago and has since become one of the few theatrical talent agents whose name garners instant recognition among theatre professionals. Lane's client list includes such playwrights as Warren Leight, Edward Albee, Richard Greenberg, Jon Robin Baitz and Suzan-Lori Parks. He also reps the directors Robert Falls, Daniel Sullivan, James Lapine and Michael Mayer.

The move is somewhat surprising because, while William Morris has long had a strong presence in the New York theatre world, CAA is primarily a Hollywood entity, bursting with movie stars. The transplanting of Lane would seem to create an instant theatre department at CAA.

It was not clear whether Lane would work out of CAA Los Angeles office or remain stationed in New York.