Last week, Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine, owners of the San Diego Wave, filed a lawsuit against the team’s former president, Jill Ellis. The couple is suing Ellis for alleged intentional misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, concealment, and false promise.[1] According to Leichtman and Levine, Ellis had allegedly misled them by promising to remain with the Wave upon sale of the team, but resigned two days after the sale was completed.[2]
Leichtman and Levine, who bought the Wave from Ron Burkle in October 2024, stated in the lawsuit filed on September 29 that Ellis was a “material reason” for purchasing the club and that they relied on Ellis’ assurances that she would “guide the team for many years to come.”[3] Ellis left her role as president of San Diego Wave FC to take on the position of FIFA’s chief football officer. In their suit, the plaintiffs allege that Ellis had no intention of remaining with the Wave upon commencing her negotiations to join FIFA, and her promises to stay with the team upon its sale were a false representation.[4]
The couple alleges that Ellis’ FIFA negotiations led to the team’s poor 2024 season and resulted in lost revenue, equating to at least $40 million in enterprise value. Specific damages were not sought in the lawsuit, and Leichtman and Levine seek a jury trial to determine damages.
Douglas Silverstein, attorney for Ellis, claims that the lawsuit is “meritless” and was filed in retaliation for her request that her deferred compensation be paid, which is estimated to be over $ 1.2 million.[5] According to Silverstein, Ellis attempted to resolve the financial matters directly with the owners in good faith, but with no success, she retained counsel on the matter. A demand letter was then written, outlining Ellis’ five-year contract that included a $1 million annual escalating salary and $250,000 a year in deferred compensation that was “expressly structured and intended to be paid upon her departure from the club.” Silverstein claims that this lawsuit is a “direct result of that written demand.”[6]
While not a party to the suit, the Wave has faced its fair share of legal issues over the past year. Last year, Ellis filed a defamation lawsuit against former Wave employee, Brittany Alvarado, who went viral after making several posts alleging a “toxic environment” at the club. The Wave was later sued by Alvarado and four other ex-employees, alleging multiple claims of retaliation, discrimination, wrongful termination, and sexual harassment.[7]
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6681979/2025/10/02/san-diego-wave-fc-owners-sue-former-president-jill-ellis/
[2] https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/46468103/san-diego-wave-owners-lawsuit-president-jill-ellis
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Supra, note 1.
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
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