Diddy’s former lawyers seek $581,893 in unpaid fees via court lien
Sher Tremonte LLP filed a motion on October 30 to secure a lien on Combs’ defamation case assets while disputing the former client’s claims of overcharging.
By Sarah Reynolds ·
$581,893.75 is the exact sum that Sher Tremonte LLP is demanding from Sean “Diddy” Combs for past legal work. The firm submitted this figure to Judge John P. Cronan in an effort to secure a lien on funds from Combs’ ongoing defamation suit against Courtney Burgess, Ariel Mitchell, and Nexstar. If Combs secures a settlement or judgment in that case, the lien would allow the law firm to claim that specific amount from the proceeds. The motion was detailed in a letter dated October 30, which was reviewed by Complex.
Michael Tremonte, a partner at the firm, supported the claim by filing a sworn declaration and a sealed spreadsheet. These documents outlined the firm’s billing rates and the hours spent across numerous legal matters. The firm explained that it did not attach individual invoices because its representation of Combs involved dozens of separate cases, making the billing process more complex than a single receipt. This financial dispute represents the latest escalation in a strained relationship between the music mogul and the attorneys who previously represented him.
Sher Tremonte LLP moved to withdraw as Combs’ counsel in September. In that filing, the firm stated that Combs was more than six months behind on payments. It also cited a “total breakdown in cooperation and communication” as a primary reason for the departure. Judge Cronan approved the withdrawal and granted the firm a retaining lien on the case files while the firm documented its outstanding balance. This legal maneuver allows the firm to hold the files as collateral for the unpaid fees.
Combs maintains that the split was necessary to prevent financial exploitation. In a September statement to NBC News, he said, “I made the decision to switch lawyers because I won’t let anyone take advantage of me by overcharging me and running up bills that were never approved.” He accused his former team of inflating costs without his authorization. The law firm rejected these claims. Michael Tremonte told NBC News that “any suggestion that we overcharged him is simply false.”
The new billing dispute arrives shortly after another financial hit for Combs. On October 6, Justice Phaedra F. Perry-Bond ordered Combs to pay $477,700.50 in legal fees to NBCUniversal and its co-defendants. That order followed his loss in the defamation lawsuit concerning the documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, according to People. Combs now faces this additional obligation from the very lawyers who managed his previous legal defenses.
The next step in this process is a determination by Judge Cronan. The judge must decide whether Sher Tremonte LLP is entitled to the full $581,893.75 and whether the firm will be granted the requested lien. The court’s decision will finalize the financial terms of the separation between Combs and his former legal team.
