Attorneys for Sean 'Diddy' Combs have filed a motion to withdraw as his counsel in a $100 million defamation lawsuit, citing six months of unpaid legal fees and a breakdown in cooperation.
In court documents filed Monday in the Southern District of New York, the law firm Sher Tremonte LLP requested permission to step down from representing Combs in the civil case against Courtney Burgess, Ariel Mitchell, and Nexstar Media Inc.. The motion alleges Combs has failed to pay a substantial balance of attorney’s fees, costs, and expenses since October 2024, creating an unreasonable financial burden on the firm.
Sher Tremonte’s rationale
According to the filing, Combs has been more than six months behind on payments, with no remittance for services rendered. The firm also cited a total breakdown in cooperation and communication, stating Combs has declined to make himself available for substantive discussions about his cases for over four months. The motion argues that the lack of payment and cooperation has rendered effective legal representation impossible.
In response, Combs’ spokesperson Juda Engelmayer stated that the decision to switch lawyers was Combs’ own, asserting that the firm had overcharged him and run up bills without approval. Engelmayer described the dispute as a strictly business matter, adding that claims of unpaid fees were part of a disagreement over billing practices.
Sher Tremonte’s rebuttal
Michael Tremonte, a partner at the firm, countered these claims in an email, stating that Sher Tremonte had represented Combs zealously and efficiently despite challenging circumstances. He reiterated that the withdrawal was due solely to Combs’ failure to pay long-overdue invoices and his uncooperative behavior, calling any suggestion of overcharging false.
Background on the case
Combs is the defendant in a $100 million defamation lawsuit filed by Burgess, Mitchell, and Nexstar Media Inc. The lawsuit stems from allegations that Combs made defamatory statements in public comments and media appearances. Sher Tremonte was handling the civil litigation, though they did not represent Combs in his separate criminal trial in New York City last year.
The motion to withdraw does not indicate whether Combs has secured new legal representation. The court has not yet ruled on the request.