Practice Area: Celebrities and Their Lawyers

Posted by Margaret Daisley

 

I’ve been thinking for some time that my esteemed employer, ALM Media, Inc., would do well with a tabloid publication, print and/or digital, devoted to the coverage of “entertainment law” – i.e., celebrities and their legal travails and their lawyers and law firms. It’s not that I’m one of those People, Us, or National Enquirer addicts. I rarely even watch Entertainment Tonight, and I lament the fact that the Today Show continues to lighten their news content and lengthen their info- and enter-tainment slots. Yet, when it comes to stories about Celebrities and The Law (as opposed to celebrities and their dating, mating, dressing, and eating habits), I am a complete sucker, just like the rest of you.

   

I usually get my news about the latest lawsuit filed by one of Naomi Campbell’s former maids via ALM’s Law.com or NY Lawyer Online, both daily newswires, or via an occasional “Bar Talk” piece in The American Lawyer. Frequently, these ALM posts originate with the Associated Press. For the last month, I’ve been saving links to Celebrity Law postings, in order just to see what accumulates, and what to make of it.

   

What I’ve discovered is that lawyers and law firms are mentioned in only about half of the stories. Obviously, the reporters involved aren’t taking the time to get to the real meat of story, right? We may never know who successfully defended George Clooney against the charge that he plagiarized his “Syriana” script. We will most likely never discover who helped American Idol winner Ruben Studdard file a claim against his ex-manager for stealing his money and using his credit cards, or what lawyer helped John Cusack file a restraining order against the woman who had been stalking him for almost two years. Or Marc Anthony and J-Lo – who helped them win their case against the ex-cons who stole their wedding video and threatened to sell it to the press?

As for the oft-sued model Naomi Campbell – who is helping her defend herself against all these charges from former assistants and maids?  Charges that she threw a phone, slapped one in the face, assaulted and battered another, and verbally and physically abused another “on three continents”?

 

I ask you: Who is representing the family of the Notorious B.I.G. (aka/Christoper Wallace) in their request to expand their wrongful-death suit against the city of L.A. And I’d like to personally thank the lawyer who got that suit against The Donald (Trump) thrown out -- the one in which he was accused of stealing an architect’s designs? If only I knew who his lawyer was! And David Schwimmer (ha!) won that defamation suit against the idiot claiming Schwimmer had demanded two Rolex watches to attend a charity event. Surely his lawyer deserves a bit of public praise for that one. Instead, they get nary a mention. It’s always the celebrity who get the print.

On the other hand, we know who is going to bat for the following celebrities, because their lawyers and sometimes their firms are mentioned in the stories about the cases. Not that's good reporting! What a relief it is to know whose good legal hands these stars of the stage and screen and tabloid have placed their legal lives in:

   

Celebrity:Jay Leno

Problem, status at time of report: Leno accused of defaming a woman in his "In the News" segment. Her photo had appeared as part of a NY Times story about ovum donation; on the show it led to a running joke. Suit thrown out.

Lawyer: Benjamin Sheffner, lawyer for NBC Universal

   

Celebrity: Michael Flatley

Problem, status at time of report: A woman who Flatley admits to having consensual sex with several years ago in Las Vegas accused him, a year later, of rape. Her attorney threatened to file a sexual assault lawsuit unless Flatley agreed to a 'seven figures' settlement.” When he refused to fork over the money, she filed a $33 million civil sexual assault lawsuit in Illinois. It was dismissed Flatley then countered with a lawsuit claiming extortion, fraud, and defamation, and won a court ruling allowing him to sue.

Lawyer: Bert Fields of Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger, Los Angeles

   

Celebrity: Mel Gibson

Problem, status at time of report: Recently charged with drunk driving.

Lawyer: Blair Berk of Tarlow & Berk, Los Angeles

   

Celebrity: Elton John

Problem, status at time of report: “Rocket Man” filed a lawsuit against the Fulton County (Georgia) tax assessors office for overvaluing his penthouse condominium by $900,000.

Lawyer: Craig Klayman

   

Celebrity: David Gest

Problem, status at time of report: Gest was accused by a former employee of making sexual comments, touching him in a sexual nature, writing sexual comments in his calendar, and paying another employee to touch him.

Lawyer: Edward Bearman

   

Celebrity: Gary Glitter (aka/Paul Francis Gadd)

Problem, status at time of report: Glitter, or Gadd, had been living in Vietnam and was accused and found guilty of kissing, fondling, and engaging in other physical acts with girls 11 years old and younger. An appeals court upheld the conviction and sentenced him to three years in prison.

Lawyer: Le Thanh Kinh, Vietnam

   

Celebrity: Bruce Willis

Problem, status at time of report: Willis filed a defamation lawsuit against a paparazzi photographer who accused the actor of attacking him outside a restaurant. He asked for $1 million in general, special, and consequential damages.

Lawyer: Martin D. Singer, Los Angeles

   

Celebrity: Prince

Problem, status at time of report: Prince’s wife (the Princess?) filed for divorce.

Lawyer: Patrick Cousins, Prince's general counsel

   

Celebrity: Doris Roberts

Problem, status at time of report: Roberts sued her former talent agent, attorney James Hornstein, for conflict of interest. He had negotiated contracts for three of the stars of the show she appeared on, “Everyone Loves Raymond,” but Roberts's contract was for less than the others. She lost the motion to continue litigating in court and the dispute is scheduled to go to arbitration in the Fall. (Hornstein is now at Alschuler Grossman Stein & Kahan of Santa Monica.

Lawyer: Richard Leonard of Leonard, Dicker & Schreiber, Beverly Hills

   

Celebrity: Kate Hudson

Problem, status at time of report: Hudson filed a libel suit against the British edition of the National Enquirer (owned by American Media, Inc.) for claiming that the actress was "way too thin" and “looked like skin and bones” and generally indicated that she had an eating disorder. Hudson won the case and accepted libel damages.

Lawyer: Simon Smith

   

Celebrity: Michael Jackson

Problem, status at time of report: The erstwhile King of Pop was sued by a former business partner, F. Marc Schaffel, for for $1.4 million in commissions, unpaid loans, and expenses. In a counter-claim, Jackson said Schaeffel owed him $660,000 and said he had fired Schaeffel when he discovered he had been a producer of gay pornography in the past. During the trial, Schaffel “accidently” blurted out that Jackson had asked to go to Brazil to "adopt boys" for the pop singer. Schaffel was awarded $900,000; Jackson was awarded $200,000 in his cross-complaint.

Lawyer: Thomas Mundel

   

Celebrity: Michael Jackson

Problem, status at time of report: Jackson’s lawyers have accused Jackson of not paying them, and communicating with them only through intermediaries. Both parties were ordered to return to court September 5^th. Stay tuned.

Lawyers: Wachtel & Masyr