A firm has filed a claim it is yet to be paid for work carried out for Michael Jackson in the two years leading up to his death. A London law firm, Atkins Thomson Solicitors, says it is owed over $200,000 (£142,000) in fees, and is suing entertainment attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain, executors of Jackson’s estate, for breach of contract.
Atkins’ attorney Stanton L Stein in the complaint, said, “Defendants have failed to honour Jackson’s obligations under, and has materially breached, the agreement with Atkins, and any implied covenants therein, by failing to make the payments as required”.
Covering services from 2007 through to 2009, Atkins claims the firm “provided hundreds of hours of services to Jackson across nearly a dozen matters”, and reportedly filed a creditors claim for $204,204.36 in 2009. Atkins claims defendants refused to pay and rejected the invoice in December 2015. They now want the amount reportedly invoiced plus interest and the costs of the suit.
Howard Weitzman, attorney for Jackson’s estate, said, “The estate doesn’t believe the attorney’s claim for work allegedly done for Michael Jackson is valid and we intend to contest this lawsuit”.
Since the death of Jackson, his estate has faced a number of lawsuits, with John Landis, the director of the Grammy award-winning “Thriller” video, claiming in 2009 that Jackson failed to hand over his share of the profits from the production. In 2012, both sides agreed to confidential terms involving profits and rights on the 1983 promo.
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