Lil Wayne has scored a major victory in a long-running legal battle over whether he owed millions in fees to his former attorney.
Wayne (Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) and lawyer Ron Sweeney have been facing off against each other in court for more than seven years over the status of a contingency fee arrangement, which originally entitled Sweeney to 10% of Wayne’s profits.
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The rapper first sued in 2019, claiming the 10% fee was an “exorbitant” amount that’s “double the customary rate for attorneys in the music industry.” Wayne said that because the agreement was verbal only and never signed, it became void as soon as he fired Sweeney in 2018.
Sweeney countersued Wayne, first in California and later in New York, claiming the fee should be enforced. The lawyer said he was due $20 million from deals that went through after his termination, including Wayne’s confidential royalty settlement with Cash Money Records and an alleged sale of Young Money master recordings to Universal Music Group (UMG).
A New York judge sided with Wayne on Tuesday (Oct. 14), ruling that Sweeney isn’t owed 10% on any money that came through after he was fired.
“Counterclaim plaintiffs may not, under [the law], receive a contingency fee, as contemplated by the voided oral contingency fee arrangement or otherwise,” wrote Judge James D’Auguste. “Accordingly, they are not entitled to discovery regarding the monies received by Carter in connection with the master recordings sale and Cash Money/Universal settlements.”
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According to the judge, Sweeney can only pursue “reasonable fees” from Wayne. The question of what constitutes reasonable fees will now move forward into evidence discovery, with Sweeney still seeking many millions. Wayne maintains that Sweeney is owed nothing because the lawyer was actually overpaid during their 13 years working together.
Wayne’s attorney, Jonathan Davis, celebrated the ruling in a statement to Billboard on Thursday (Oct. 16).
“After an almost seven-year battle in multiple courts in New York and California, lawyers can rest a little easier in knowing that the rule of law still matters and will be applied faithfully by courts,” said Davis. “Mr. Carter is thankful to Justice d’Auguste for his significant decision against Ron Sweeney and his company.”
Reps for Sweeney did not immediately return a request for comment.
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