Nicki Minaj is facing two separate legal disputes involving law firms that have represented her, with her New York lawyers seeking to withdraw from a $275,149 lawsuit involving her company and a former Los Angeles firm pursuing nearly $300,000 in allegedly unpaid legal fees.
In New York, the law firm representing Minaj and her company, Pink Friday Productions, has asked a judge for permission to withdraw from a lawsuit filed by 24/7 Productions. In Los Angeles, her former law firm, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, is seeking a default judgment over legal fees it claims remain unpaid.
Why Minaj’s New York Lawyers Want Out
In New York, the firm Kurzman Eisenberg Corbin & Lever is asking a judge for permission to withdraw from representing Nicki Minaj and her company, Pink Friday Productions. The firm currently represents Minaj in a $275,149 lawsuit filed by 24/7 Productions. The production company alleges that Minaj and her company failed to reimburse expenses connected to her 2023 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball performances and promotional events for her album “Pink Friday 2.” The disputed expenses reportedly include luxury hotel stays and other production costs.
Attorney Bruce W. Bieber cited disagreements over litigation strategy and difficulties communicating with Minaj in an Oct. 23 court filing. He described the attorney-client relationship as having “irretrievably broken down,” adding that continued representation was no longer “feasible or appropriate.”
The firm also described difficulties notifying Minaj of its decision to withdraw. According to the filings, process servers made several attempts to deliver the necessary documents at her residence but were unable to reach her personally. During one attempt, a process server was reportedly told that someone would come downstairs to collect the papers, but nobody appeared. On Nov. 2, another process server was told that Minaj was unavailable.
In a further filing on Nov. 4, Bieber asked the judge to allow the firm to withdraw immediately, saying it had been unable to get Minaj to acknowledge its request to leave the case. A judge has temporarily paused proceedings in the underlying lawsuit while considering the firm’s request. A hearing on the withdrawal application is scheduled for Dec. 1. Minaj’s side has previously disputed the production company’s claims, arguing that the expenses had been paid and that Minaj should not be personally responsible for debts belonging to her company.
Former L.A. Lawyers Sue Minaj for Nearly $300,000
While her current New York lawyers are seeking to end their representation, Minaj’s former Los Angeles law firm is pursuing payment for legal services it says remain unpaid. Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani filed a lawsuit in March seeking to recover fees from its previous representation of Minaj in a copyright dispute involving her 2014 song “I Lied.”
The copyright dispute involved songwriter Julius Johnson, who accused Minaj of copying elements of his track “onmysleeve.” The parties later reached a confidential settlement, and the court dismissed the case in late 2024. According to the former law firm’s filings, Minaj and her company, Harajuku Barbie Music LLC, were billed $229,541.75 for legal services. The firm also claims that contractual late fees and additional collection costs have increased the amount it is seeking to $295,605.
The firm says Minaj agreed to its legal fees but failed to settle the outstanding balance. It further alleges that she did not respond to the lawsuit filed to recover the money. On Nov. 3, the firm renewed its request for a default judgment, arguing that the required response period had passed without an answer from Minaj. A hearing on the request is scheduled for Nov. 16.
A Pattern of Legal Friction
The two disputes involve different legal matters, but both place Minaj’s relationships with her legal representatives in focus. In New York, her current lawyers say disagreements over strategy and communication have made it difficult to continue representing her. In Los Angeles, her former lawyers allege that she failed to pay their legal fees. Minaj’s representatives have previously described the New York production lawsuit as an “ill-advised attempt to sue a famous deep-pocket.”
What Happens Next
In New York, the court has paused proceedings in the $275,149 lawsuit while it considers Kurzman Eisenberg Corbin & Lever’s request to withdraw. The Dec. 1 hearing will determine whether the firm can formally end its representation of Minaj and Pink Friday Productions. If the judge grants the request, Minaj and her company will have time to secure new legal representation before the underlying case proceeds.
In Los Angeles, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani will pursue its default judgment request at the Nov. 16 hearing. If the court grants it, it could enter judgment against Minaj and her company without a full trial. For now, neither dispute has reached a final resolution. Neither Minaj nor her representatives had publicly commented on the latest developments as of Nov. 6.
