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Legal Troubleshooters: Who the Stars Call to Put Out Fires

Meet 25 Power Lawyers the industry trusts to plan for (and respond to) the worst.

THR, Esq's Latest News

Hollywood’s Troubleshooters: Who the Stars Call to Put Out Fires and Prevent Future Disasters

Whether it’s defending against criminal charges, negotiating a prenup or suing an employer, having a top-notch lawyer is a must. But when you’re famous and living under the microscope of public scrutiny, it takes a specialist who can navigate the law and the media. Enter The Troubleshooters, the lawyers Hollywood calls when it’s time to […]

Lizzo Sued by Tour Stylist Over Hostile Work Environment Claim

Lizzo has been sued again for overseeing a hostile work environment, this time by a stylist who says she was subjected to a “culture of racism and bullying” while on tour with the artist. The lawsuit, which the firm representing plaintiffs said was filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses Lizzo and supervisors of […]

Indie Movie Producer Wonderfilm Sued Over Fraud Claim

Indie production shop Wonderfilm has been sued for fraud and breach of contract in a lawsuit accusing the company and its directors of swindling an investor — which was allegedly led to believe it was financing a Mel Gibson-led film only for the project to never get finished due to a lack of funds — […]

Top Authors Join Lawsuit Against OpenAI Over “Mass-Scale Copyright Infringement” of Novels

The leading trade group for authors has entered a legal battle against OpenAI over its human-mimicking chatbot in a case that could decide the legality of using copyrighted works to train AI systems. The Authors Guild — led by prominent fiction authors including George R.R. Martin, Jonathan Franzen and John Grisham — on Tuesday sued […]

Ryan Murphy’s Longtime Lawyer Leaves Firm to Work for Mega-Producer

Hollywood Power Lawyer Craig Emanuel is leaving Paul Hastings to move in-house to work for longtime client Ryan Murphy. Emanuel, who has been a mainstay on THR‘s annual spotlight of the top attorneys in the entertainment industry, has also worked with the likes of Tom Hanks, Daniel Day Lewis, Julie Delpy, Robert Rodriguez, Luke Davies […]

ChaudhryLaw Taps Top Music Lawyer as Head of Litigation

Priya Chaudhry is bolstering her boutique firm by bringing on entertainment lawyer Jeffrey Movit as head of litigation, creating a one-stop shop for high-stakes criminal and civil matters on both coasts. Chaudhry, a well-known criminal lawyer who’s leading the defense for Creed III star Jonathan Majors on misdemeanor assault and harassment charges in connection with […]

Nobu Malibu Sued Over Sexual Harassment Claim; Third Lawsuit at That Location Since 2019

Hollywood hotspot Nobu Malibu was sued Sept. 13 by a Jane Doe plaintiff who alleges hostesses are “subjected to an intense pattern and practice” of sexual misconduct from supervisors. According to a review of court documents by The Hollywood Reporter, the lawsuit contains similar claims as at least two others filed against the Malibu location […]

Stan Lee’s Estate Loses Yearslong Elder Abuse Lawsuit Against Former Attorney on a Technicality

A messy legal battle initiated by Stan Lee’s estate involving accusations of exploitation and elder abuse by the comic book legend’s inner circle has concluded, with an arbitrator siding with Lee’s former attorney that the lawsuit against him was brought too late. The five-year legal saga was sparked by The Hollywood Reporter’s investigation into Lee’s […]

Fox Shareholders Sue Board for Allegedly Embracing Election Falsehoods in Pursuit of Profits

Fox Corp.’s board of directors has been sued in a lawsuit accusing the company’s directors of adopting an illegal business model centered on chasing profits by intentionally broadcasting falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election. On Tuesday in the Delaware Court of Chancery, New York City’s pension funds filed a lawsuit arguing that Fox’s board members […]

SEC Files Charges Against NFT Project ‘Stoner Cats’ Starring Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and More

The federal government’s crypto crackdown is hitting Hollywood again — this time targeting a starry animated Web3 series featuring the voices of Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Chris Rock, Jane Fonda, Seth MacFarlane and more. The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday charged the creators of the NFT cartoon series Stoner Cats for an unregistered offering […]

Authors Sue Meta, OpenAI in Lawsuits Alleging Infringement of Hundreds of Thousands of Novels

Authors are escalating efforts to block artificial intelligence companies from using their copyrighted works to train artificial intelligence systems, this time taking aim at Meta and OpenAI in proposed class-action lawsuits. Michael Chabon and other decorated writers of books and screenplays sued Meta on Tuesday in California federal court, accusing the company of copyright infringement […]

After Danny Masterson Rape Conviction, ‘That ’70s Show’ Cast and Crew Asked Judge for Leniency

The judge overseeing Danny Masterson’s criminal case handed the actor the maximum allowable sentence, resisting calls from nearly 50 of his family, friends and colleagues to allow him to serve his prison term concurrently rather than consecutively. Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Kurtwood Smith, Debra Jo Rupp and David Trainer — all of whom worked alongside […]

SAG-AFTRA Political Candidate Backs Plan to Sue His Own Union Over Its COVID-19 Work Agreement

SAG-AFTRA secretary-treasurer candidate Pete Antico has messaged union members in an attempt to drum up plaintiffs in a potential lawsuit against the labor organization. Antico, who is aligned with an independent slate of candidates that is challenging Fran Drescher’s Unity ticket, on Thursday sent union members an election campaign message informing them of potential pending […]

Disney Drops Most Claims In Lawsuit Against Ron DeSantis Over Florida Special District

The Walt Disney Co. has narrowed a lawsuit against Ron DeSantis that will likely decide the fate of its authority to control development around its sprawling theme park, opting to focus solely on First Amendment claims. In a complaint filed on Thursday, Disney amended its suit to drop Contracts Clause, Takings Clause and Due Process […]

Jake Bloom, Veteran Hollywood Lawyer, Dies at 81

Jake Bloom, the veteran entertainment talent lawyer who represented the likes of Martin Scorsese, George Lucas and Arnold Schwarzenegger, has died. He was 81. Bloom died Thursday of natural causes at his home in Sun Valley, Idaho, his family announced. One of The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural class of Legal Legends, the co-founder of the iconic […]

Danny Masterson Sentenced to 30 Years to Life for Raping Two Women

Danny Masterson was sentenced on Thursday to?30 years to life in prison for the rapes of two women in the early 2000s, after a trial that drew widespread attention due to allegations that the Church of Scientology dissuaded his accusers from reporting the sexual assaults. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo handed down […]