The veteran agent departed WME last week.
Former WME partner Brian Swardstrom has landed at UTA as partner and agent.
The veteran rep ran the talent department at Endeavor Agency from 1998 to 2009, then became a founding partner of the merged WME Agency.
Swardstrom departed WME last week, reportedly because he and the agency were not able to come to terms on a new deal. According to sources, the departure was unrelated to WME's recent acquisition of IMG Worldwide.
"Brian has always modeled the kind of focus and dedication toward clients that we deeply admire, and his clients have always been at the forefront of creative and professional excellence," UTA managing partner David Kramer said in a statement. "Brian fits in perfectly in our 'client-first' culture, and we are pleased to welcome him."
Swardstrom's clients at WME included actors Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Damian Lewis, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ben Foster, Emile Hirsch, Rooney Mara, Michael C. Hall, Diane Lane, Claire Danes, Michael Douglas, Patrick Stewart, Richard Gere, Jessica Lange, John Lithgow, David Oyelowo, Jonathan Groff, Jamie Bell, Scott Speedman, Ray Stevenson, Bill Paxton, Julie Christie, Tracey Ullman and Frances McDormand; and filmmakers Sam Taylor-Johnson, Luca Guadagnino and Oren Moverman; among many others.