This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Business News Legal Management & Funding
Dispute between Steven Tyler’s lawyer and former manager back in court
By Chris Cooke | Published on Friday 27 February 2015
Whilst last seen leading Deadmau5’s amusing legal squabble with Disney, music lawyer Dina LaPolt previously appeared in the legal pages of CMU in late 2012 as a defendant, when she was sued by the former manager of one of her clients, Steven Tyler.
Allen Kovac’s Kovac Media Group accused the lawyer of derailing deal negotiations between Tyler and the makers of ‘American Idol’, and of then persuading the Aerosmith man to dump his management team.
But in 2013 that case was thrown out of court, LaPolt successfully employing one of those anti-SLAPP motions that didn’t help Pandora the other day. But Kovac appealed, and earlier this week the appellate court rejected the original decision, making this a bad week all round for music-based anti-SLAPPing.
None of which constitutes an opinion on the actual facts or arguments of the case of course, it just means LaPolt has failed to block the litigation before it starts. The dispute itself will now proceed to court.
LaPolt’s own legal rep, Christine Lepera, told reporters this week: “We respectfully disagree with the court’s ruling, but look forward to actually addressing the baseless claims in this case on their merits. Plaintiffs now will be forced to prove their case, and we are confident that they will come up empty”.
Meanwhile Tyler, who has been a vocal supporter of his attorney throughout this dispute, was less respectful in his disagreement with the court. He told The Hollywood Reporter: “I’m disgusted that my attorney, Dina LaPolt, has to continue to battle in court over these ridiculous accusations. Without Dina, my confidant and trusted counsel, I would not have been able to get out of that toxic management agreement. Dina has always had my back, and I fully support her in fighting this hateful claim”.
