Update, April 12, 11:12 am: Emmis Publishing President Greg Loewen told Capital NY that Silverstein is not named in the lawsuit. Lowen said Emmis suing only the New York Times, claiming the newspaper did not come through on an agreement to negotiate a settlement for the termination of Silverstein's contract at Texas Monthly.

Less than two weeks after the New York Times announced the appointment of Texas Monthly editor Jake Silverstein as the new editor-in-chief of the Times Sunday magazine, the publisher of Texas Monthly is expected to file a breach of contract lawsuit.

Late Friday afternoon, the New York Times spokesperson Eileen Murphy announced the impending lawsuit, to be filed by Texas Monthly's publisher Emmis Publishing.

“We had an understanding with Emmis during the search that Jake would be permitted to exit his contract with Emmis and take the job,” Murphy said in statement published on the Times website. “We believe there is no basis for a lawsuit. We look forward to having Mr. Silverstein join the Times next month and help us shape the future of the magazine.”

Murphy said that both Silverstein and the Times were expected to be named in the suit: Silverstein for breach of contract and the Times for inducing breach of contract.

Silverstein had been with Texas Monthly for eight years; the last six were as editor-in-chief.

IBTimes published an interview with Silverstein last week about the new position. The editor had nothing but positive things to say about Texas Monthly and his staff there, and gave no indication there was any internal controversy over his decision to move to the Times.

"Texas Monthly itself is a place I will miss dearly," Silverstein said. "This is, I believe, one of the great magazines in the country. It’s going to be difficult to leave these people behind, but I am looking forward to being a reader of theirs again."

Murphy said the decision of the publisher to file a lawsuit was "inexplicable."

Silverstein did not immediately respond to a request for comment.