
A Type House Divided - maguay
http://nymag.com/news/features/jonathan-hoefler-tobias-frere-jones-2014-6/
======
eps
I am partial to type design and I used to frequent Typophile and few other
places where type designers hang out. It was always everyone's understanding
that Hoefler and Frere-Jones were equal partners. H however has always been
big on self-promotion and he generally had this aura of a cocky know-it-all,
while FJ was more down to earth and approachable. FJ is 100% in the right here
and H is just a greedy asshole. I lost all respect to him as I suspect did
many in designer circles.

~~~
_delirium
_It was always everyone 's understanding that Hoefler and Frere-Jones were
equal partners_

The fact that the company was named "Hoefler & Frere-Jones" sure seems like it
was designed to give that impression to the public, at least.

------
jschulenklopper
The original claim (filed on Jan. 16, 2014) can be found here:
[https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet...](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet?documentId=ydQwzs4EZjDkplRrBmkkwA==&system=prod)

Sad to see a (implied) partnership end with: "In the most profound treachery
and sustained exploitation of friendship, trust and confidence, Hoefler
accepted all of the benefits provided by Frere-Jones while repeatedly
promising Frere-Jones that he would give him the agreed equity, only to refuse
to do so when finally demanded."

Earlier discussion on the complaint and the fall-out of the partnership on
Quartz (also Jan. 16): [http://qz.com/167993/frere-jones-is-suing-hoefler-for-
his-ha...](http://qz.com/167993/frere-jones-is-suing-hoefler-for-his-half-of-
the-worlds-preeminent-digital-type-foundry/)

~~~
jacquesm
Something similar happened to me when I was young and stupid and I still have
a bad feeling about that decades later.

This should serve as a warning to anybody in a similar position: promises of
shares are worth nothing, if you are in a vesting arrangement make sure you
get the actual shares on the promised dates, otherwise you are being taken for
a ride, if you are a co-founder and there is no vesting make sure you get your
shares _right now_.

Particularly galling here is this paragraph from the linked text:

"Update (Jan. 17, 2:45pm ET): HFJ released a statement, set in the firm’s
Mercury typeface, denying Frere-Jones’s claims and saying the company will
henceforth be known as Hoefler & Co.: "

So, as long as you're working without a stake in the company but on vague
promises your compensation is limited to your salary + having your name as an
equal partner on the company letterhead but as soon as you so much as try to
enforce your rights you're being removed as if you never existed. Classy.

I sincerely hope that this suit will be resolved amicably, and if it isn't
that the firm will be named Frere-Jones Inc. when they're done.

Hoefler is going to have a hard time arguing that Frere-Jones was only in the
masthead for decorative purposes, it certainly seems to spread the message
that Frere-Jones is to be considered a full partner in the venture.

Beware of power asymmetry in relationships like these.

~~~
_delirium
_Hoefler is going to have a hard time arguing that Frere-Jones was only in the
masthead for decorative purposes, it certainly seems to spread the message
that Frere-Jones is to be considered a full partner in the venture._

Their webpage as of a few months ago also listed him as a "Principal" [1],
which isn't a precisely defined term, but usually implies something like a
partner or co-owner.

[1]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131028065322/http://www.typogr...](https://web.archive.org/web/20131028065322/http://www.typography.com/about/biographies.php)

~~~
jacquesm
That might be worth saving somewhere as a pdf or as a notarized screenshot or
something to that effect. The archive will remove pages if requested and this
could come in very handy during the lawsuit.

------
Isamu
Ah. Typography.

Please tell me I'm not the only one that expected some discussion of static
vs. dynamic typing, etc. But was wondering why nymag would cover it.

~~~
Agathos
The only reason I clicked was that I was wondering, "no, that couldn't be it."

